We all have thoughts and ideas about the area in which we live, work and play.  There are things we like, things we dislike, and even things we’d like to see.  But we seldom get a real chance to influence changes, and plan for the future – until now !

Click Here For A Membership Form

The Aireborough Neighbourhood Plan needs people with ideas and the enthusiasm to make a difference, from all walks of life and age groups,  to join and support the Forum.  It is a non-political group, working to optimise wellbeing for  Aireborough residents and businesses, through placemaking.

Getting Involved

You can do as much or as little as you have time for;  from giving your views in a co-production workshop, to helping to drive the plan forward as a member of the steering committee.  Local schoolchildren can get involved with developing 3D models for the plan, other’s might like to run a placemaking walk around their ‘patch’, whilst local businesses might run a CSR scheme for employees to look at improving cycle ways.

What is crucial,  is that local people (people who live, work, or do business in an area)  have the opportunity to help shape the future of Aireborough and its development over the next 20 years in some form. What the Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum will need is:-

• People who promote the role, aims and progress of the Neighbourhood Plan to friends, associates and neighbours – follow our news on the website or by email, or via Twitter.

• Attendees at events and workshops to explore and research the assets, issues, and ideas for the future eg How will be build an Olympic legacy? A sports track at Nunroyd Park?  How will we solve Guiseley’s lack of centre?  Divert the A65 and create a large pedestrian market square?

• Members of the Forum (there has to be at least 21)  to run events, carry out research, facilitate design workshops, write documents, take photographs, run websites, deliver leaflets, fundraise, debate ideas, or advise the Forum generally on their area of expertise eg local ecology, architects, stone walling, transport logistics, the needs of young people, sports facilities.

• Topic Group Members to do the detailed work to investigate, research, analyse and then put forward proposals to the Forum on different aspects of the plan.

• Management Board Members to co-ordinate and guide the programme of work, both in Aireborough and with adjoining areas, to achieve a ratified plan that will have legal weight.  A key responsibility is to ensure that the evidence for and participation in the plan comes from as wide a range of people eg, age, livelihood, activity, across Aireborough as possible – and to manage any conflict in views.

Benefits of Getting Involved

This is an excellent way:

• to use your skill to placemake your area,
• pick up a new skill,
• gain some work experience,
• do the research for your dissertation,
• achieve your Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.

The Forum will be running a series of events to ‘train’ and inform members about neighbourhood planning and placemaking.  Including case studies from other areas.

A Neighbourhood Plan is the means by which local people can ensure they get the right types of development to grow their area.  It is the way that strategic development policies in the Leeds Local Development Framework (LDF) (due to come into effect late 2013) can be shaped at local level.  Although the Neighbourhood Plan cannot ‘promote less development’ than set out in the LDF once it is ratified  (National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), paragraph 184 & 185),  it can provide more detailed evidence of need and sustainability, it does provide a complete vision and map of how people want the area to develop, and it can plan for innovative change and design.   Once ratified by the referendum the Neighbourhood Plan will have legal weight.

Particular Skills Needed

The members of the Neighbourhood Forum are entirely voluntary, and so we need to spread the workload, and use the skills available in Aireborough amongst the people who know the area best.  The Forum, therefore, needs particular help from people in the following areas, who are willing to share their knowledge with others:

• Planning, Development
• Urban Design
• Green Space Development
• Heritage and Conservation
• Wildlife and Ecology
• Sports Development
• Retail and High Street Development
• Placemaking
• Traffic and Transport
• Economic Development

In order to ensure that we can reach as many people as possible in our research and co-production work, we need people who have skills and experience in:

• Marketing  Communications
• Community/Customer Engagement
• Marketing Research
• Facilitation
• Event Management
• Work with young people and other sectors of the community who are “hard to reach”
• Working in schools

When it comes to designing material and writing our Plan, we will need people experienced in:

• Copywriting
• Printing
• Design Work
• Photography

Finally, to run and co-ordinate the work, skills in

• Project Management
• Programme Management
• Team Leaders
• Fund Raising
• Webdesign and Social Media

Register Interest In Getting Involved

All plans, whether those of Leeds, or the Neighbourhood, must be based on evidence, and adhere to the NPPF’s key criterion of ‘sustainable’ development.  Which makes the involvement by people in all areas of Aireborough in the gathering of evidence and the evaluation of sustainability, vital.

If you are interested in helping at any level,  please contact Acting Programme Manager,  Mrs Jennifer Kirkby,  01943 87804601943 878046 or email aireboroughnp@gmail.com.  Or complete our membership form and return to us.