12.4 The Strategic Approach

The strategic approach reflects the national policy guidance with regard to quality of life enhancement and the alignment of social infrastructure provision with policies where people live and work (National Spatial Strategy), as well as the suite of best practice guidance on urban planning and neighbourhood development (Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government). It also reflects the enthusiasm for active citizenship and the new statutory participatory mechanisms in relation to community development (Local Government Reform Act, 2014). The approach: ­

• Defines the essence of a good urban neighbourhood and sets out a series of principles for the making of sustainable neighbourhoods.­

• Focuses on creating a network of sustainable communities throughout the city. ­

• Supports the implementation of the spatial strategy for the delivery of sustainable neighbourhoods as devised under a series of local area plans (LAPs), the strategic development zones (SDZs) and the strategic development and regeneration areas (SDRAs).­

• Places an emphasis on the delivery of social infrastructure, with a particular focus on the sustainable provision and optimum use to support real communities.

• Seeks innovative mechanisms through partnerships with strategic stakeholders and the private sector to deliver social infrastructure.

• Promotes culture as a key tool in social regeneration and community development.

• Fosters a collaborative approach to develop inclusive strategies for community facilities.

• Seeks a collaborative and co-ordinated approach to social infrastructure provision.

• Endorses inclusive planning and values the enhanced role of the wider community under the Local Government Reform Act, 2014: Public Participatory Network (PPN), the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) and the Local Economic Development Committee (LEDC).