Developing effective public consultation: a review of Sheffield's UDP process

Abstract

This paper examines Sheffield Planning Department's approach to the public consultation on the recent development plans for the city centre and the metropolitan area. It reviews the application of the radical Advisory Group process, developed for the City Centre Plan adopted in 1988, to the City-wide Unitary Development Plan (UDP). It considers how the approach translated to the city-wide scale, how it was adapted and the consequences. The paper does not attempt to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the consultation process but it does provide a useful starting point. In assessing the extent to which the approach transferred from the local to the city-wide level, the following questions are addressed. Were the lessons from the city centre plan applied in practice? What new lessons emerged? What advice could be given to organisations who decide to use this approach and what areas need further research?