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Planning Aid Wales hosted the 2010 National Planning Aid Conference in Cardiff on 29th and 30th April 2010. Entitled ‘Planning Aid – Engaging with Communities’, it brought planning aid staff, volunteers and trustees together with representatives from community and voluntary groups from across the whole UK. The focus for the conference was on how UK planning aid services were already engaging with communities, and how we could do better in future.

We have now created an online resource from presentations, notes and other materials related to the workshops held at the conference. It can be accessed here.

Cynhaliwyd Cynhadledd Cymorth Cynllunio’r DU 2010 yng Nghaerdydd ar 29 a 30 Ebrill 2010. Dan y teitl ‘Cymorth Cynllunio – Ymgysylltu â Chymunedau’ daeth â staff, gwirfoddolwyr ac ymddiriedolwyr cymorth cynllunio at ei gilydd ynghyd â chynrychiolwyr o grwpiau cymunedol a gwirfoddol ar draws y DU gyfan. Ffocws y gynhadledd oedd sut roedd gwasanaethau cynllunio’r DU eisoes yn ymgysylltu â chymunedau a sut y gallen wneud yn well yn y dyfodol.

Rydym bellach wedi creu adnodd arlein o gyflwyniadau, nodiadau a deunyddiau eraill sy’n berthnasol i’r gweithdai a gynhaliwyd yn ystod y gynhadledd. Gallwch ei weld drwy glicio yma.

As part of a comprehensive review of the operation of the planning application process in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government has commissioned a research study which is examining distinctive Welsh issues and concerns arising from the planning application process. Planning Aid Wales took part in one of the focus groups organised as part of the research. It contributed the perspective of lay users of the system to the discussion, based on our clients’ experiences.

The Planning Aid Wales team has also submitted a written summary of its thoughts on the focus group questions, which you can read here.

The report of the research study will be available to download from the GVA Grimley websitewww.gvagrimley.co.uk/wagplanningconsultation from Monday 8th of March. Publication of the report will be followed by a four week consultation period and details of how to submit comments will also appear on the website. The consultation period will close on Thursday 8th April.

Fel rhan o adolygiad cynhwysfawr o weithrediad y broses ceisiadau cynllunio yng Nghymru, mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru wedi comisiynu astudiaeth ymchwil sy’n archwilio’r materion a phryderon sy’n nodweddiadol Gymreig sy’n deillio o’r broses ceisiadau cynllunio. Cymerodd Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru ran yn un o’r grwpiau ffocws a drefnwyd fel rhan o’r ymchwil. Cyfrannodd Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru bersbectif defnyddwyr lleyg y system i’r drafodaeth, yn seiliedig ar brofiadau ein cleientiaid.

Mae tîm Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru hefyd wedi cyflwyno crynodeb ysgrifenedig o’i ymatebion i’r cwestiynau grwpiau ffocws a welir yma.

Bydd adroddiad yr astudiaeth ar gael i’w lawrlwytho o wefan GVA Grimleywww.gvagrimley.co.uk/wagplanningconsultation o ddydd Llun 8 Mawrth. Yn dilyn cyhoeddiad yr adroddiad bydd pedair wythnos o ymgynghoriad, a fydd yn dod i ben ar 8 Ebrill 2010. Bydd manylion o sut i gyflwyno sylwadau hefyd yn ymddangos ar y wefan.

This year’s UK Planning Aid Conference is being held on 29-30 April 2010 in Cardiff. It will bring planning aid staff, volunteers and trustees together with representatives from community and voluntary groups from across the whole UK. The focus for the conference will be on how UK planning aid services are already engaging with communities, and how we can do better in future.

For details please click here.

Cynhelir y Gynhadledd Genedlaethol Cymorth Cynllunio ar 29-30 Ebrill 2010 yng Nghaerdydd. Bydd yn dod â staff, gwirfoddolwyr ac ymddiriedolwyr cymorth cynllunio at ei gilydd ynghyd â chynrychiolwyr o grwpiau cymuned a gwirfoddol ar draws y DU gyfan. Ffocws y gynhadledd fydd sut mae gwasanaethau cynllunio’r DU eisoes yn ymgysylltu â chymunedau a sut y gallwn wneud yn well yn y dyfodol.

Cliciwch yma am fanylion.

It is now almost three years that Planning Aid Wales adopted its first Welsh Language Scheme, and it is time for a review. We have produced a draft of a revised Scheme for the next three years, and we’d like our volunteers’, clients’ and supporters’ views on it.

The original Welsh Language Scheme and the draft of the revised version are available to downloadhere. Please send your comments to Marika Fusser in the Penygroes office by 30 April 2010.

Erbyn hyn mae tair blynedd o’r bron wedi mynd heibio ers i Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru fabwysiadu ei Gynllun Iaith Gymraeg cyntaf ac mae’n bryd i’w adolygu. Rydym wedi cynhyrchu Cynllun diwygiedig drafft ar gyfer y tair blynedd nesaf ac hoffem gael sylwadau ein gwirfoddolwyr, cleientiaid a’n cefnogwyr arno.

Mae’r Cynllun Iaith Gymraeg gwreiddiol a drafft y fersiwn ddiwygiedig ar gaeli’w lawrlwytho yma. Anfonwch eich sylwadau at Marika Fusser yn swyddfa Penygroes erbyn 30 Ebrill 2010.

The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has commissioned Planning Aid Wales for a second time to help community and town councils contribute to preparation of a Local Development Plan for the Park area.

In 2008, at the early stages of the Local Development Plan process, Planning Aid Wales delivered a series of training and capacity-building events for all community and town councils within the national park area. These workshops explained the Local Development Plan process and encouraged community and town councils to play a proactive role in it. They also introduced participants to a range of tools and techniques for involving their local communities. As a result of this work a majority of councils worked with their local communities to develop a local contribution to the emerging Local Development Plan.

In January 2009, the National Park Authority published its Preferred Strategy, and consultation events and meetings have been held to gather the views of individuals and community and town councils. Communities themselves have also organised their own events and meetings. A regular timetable of consultation and engagement activity has enabled the National Park Authority to build a picture of some of the key concerns and issues that community and town councils hold regarding the emerging Local Development Plan.

Now Planning Aid Wales is commissioned to deliver another programme of training and capacity-building workshops to support community participation during the later stages of Local Development Plan preparation from the so-called ‘Deposit consultation’ through to the public inquiry. The interactive training programme will include three different half-day workshops delivered sequentially between end-March and mid-June 2010.

Participants will learn about the plan preparation process so far and the key stages still left to complete. One aspect of plan-making that has traditionally attracted much interest from local communities is the selection of specific sites for housing development, so the methodology developed by the planning authority for this will be explained in a clear and logical way.

Participants will be alerted to key consultations and will consider practical ways of identifying and feeding through the views and aspirations of their local communities in these. They will also have an opportunity to explore what they can do to maximise the effect of their involvement in the process.

The programme will finish with a drop-in session that will provide assistance and guidance for community and town councils considering preparing a consultation response on the deposit Local Development Plan.

If you are interested in attending these events, please e-mail [email protected]

If you’d like to find out more about the possibility of having a similar training programme in your area, please contact Planning Aid Wales’ Training Officer, Maria Allen.

Mae Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog wedi comisiynu Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru am yr ail dro i gynorthwyo cynghorau tref a chymuned i gyfrannu at baratoi Cynllun Datblygu Lleol ar gyfer ardal y parc.

Yn 2008, yng nghyfnod cynnar y broses Cynllun Datblygu Lleol, darparodd Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru gyfres o ddigwyddiadau hyfforddiant a meithrin gallu ar gyfer cynghorau tref a chymuned o fewn ardal y parc cenedlaethol. Roedd y gweithdai hyn yn esbonio proses Cynllun Datblygu Lleol ac yn annog cynghorau tref a chymuned i chwarae rhan weithredol ynddi. Gwnaethant hefyd gyflwyno cyfranogwyr i amrediad o ddulliau a thechnegau i ymrwymo’u cymunedau lleol. O ganlyniad i’r gwaith hwn gweithiodd y rhan fwyaf o’r cynghorau gyda’u cymunedau lleol i ddatblygu cyfraniad lleol i’r Cynllun Datblygu Lleol oedd yn datblygu.

Yn Ionawr 2009, cyhoeddodd Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol ei Strategaeth a Ffefrir, a chynhaliwyd digwyddiadau a chyfarfodydd ymgynghori i gasglu sylwadau unigolion a chynghorau tref a chymuned. Mae cymunedau eu hunain hefyd wedi trefnu digwyddiadau a chyfarfodydd. Mae amserlen rheolaidd o weithgaredd ymgynghori ac ymrwymo wedi galluogi Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol i adeiladu llun o rai o’r pryderon allweddol sydd gan gynghorau tref a chymuned ynghylch y Cynllun Datblygu Lleol sy’n datblygu.

Nawr comisiynwyd Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru i gyflwyno rhaglen arall o weithdai hyfforddi a meithrin gallu i gefnogi cyfranogaeth y gymuned yn ystod cyfnodau terfynol paratoi’r Cynllun Datblygu Lleol o’r ‘Ymgynghoriad Adneuo’ trwodd i’r Ymchwiliad Cyhoeddus. Bydd y rhaglen hyfforddi rhyngweithredol yn cynnwys tri gweithdy gwahanol a fydd yn parhau am hanner diwrnod yr un ac a draddodir yn ddilynol rhwng diwedd Mawrth a chanol Mehefin 2010.

Bydd y cyfranogwyr yn dysgu am y broses o baratoi cynllun hyd yma ynghyd â’r camau allweddol sydd eto i’w cwblhau. Un agwedd o greu cynllun sydd, yn draddodiadol, wedi denu diddordeb mawr gan gymunedau lleol yw dethol safleoedd penodol ar gyfer adeiladu tai, ac felly esbonnir y fethodoleg a ddatblygwyd gan yr awdurdod cynllunio ar gyfer hyn mewn dull eglur a rhesymegol.

Tynnir sylw’r cyfranogwyr at ymgynghoriadau allweddol gan ystyried ffyrdd ymarferol o nodi a bwydo sylwadau ac uchelgeisiau eu cymunedau lleol yn rhain. Cânt hefyd y cyfle i archwilio’r hyn y gallant hwy ei wneud i fwyhau effaith eu hymrwymiad yn y broses.
Bydd y rhaglen yn gorffen gyda sesiwn galw-i-mewn fydd yn rhoi cymorth a chanllaw ar gyfer cynghorau tref a chymuned sy’n ystyried paratoi ymateb i’r ymgynghoriad ar y Cynllun Datblygu Lleol Adneuo.

Os oes gennych ddiddordeb mewn mynychu’r digwyddiadau hyn yna ebostiwch[email protected]

Os hoffech ddarganfod mwy am y posibilrwydd o gael rhaglen hyfforddi tebyg yn eich ardal, cysylltwch âSwyddog Hyfforddi Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru, Maria Allen.

Planning Aid Wales will be delivering free planning training workshops in Cardiff, Torfaen and Merthyr Tydfil.  The workshops will introduce exciting changes to the planning process including:

• Place Planning by local communities, and;

• a new requirement on developers of larger schemes to consult with local communities before submitting planning applications.

The workshops are being offered in all Welsh planning authority areas with funding from Welsh Government.

For more information on our next workshop locations, please click hereBydd

Cynlluniwyd y gweithdy hwn i gynorthwyo cynghorwyr cymuned a thref i ddeall eu rôl mewn cynllunio. Bydd hefyd yn cyflwyno newidiadau cyffrous fydd yn digwydd dros y misoedd nesaf yn berthnasol i:

• Cynllunio Cynefin gan gymunedau lleol ac;

• amod bod datblygwyr cynlluniau mwy o faint yn ymgynghori â chymunedau lleol cyn cyflwyno eu ceisiadau cynllunio.

Cynigir y gweithdy hwn i bob ardal awdurdod cynllunio Cymreig, gyda chyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Cymorth Cynllunio Cymru fydd yn cynnal y gweithdy, sydd wedi ei drefnu gyda chymorth gan eich awdurdod cynllunio lleol, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Merthyr Tydful.

Planning Aid Wales will be delivering free planning training workshops in Cardiff, Torfaen and Merthyr Tydfil.  The workshops will introduce exciting changes to the planning process including:

• Place Planning by local communities, and;

• a new requirement on developers of larger schemes to consult with local communities before submitting planning applications.

The workshops are being offered in all Welsh planning authority areas with funding from Welsh Government.

For more information on our next workshop locations, please click here

Planning Aid Wales hosted a successful training event on Thursday 23^rd October at the AECOM offices in Cardiff. Over 30 planners attendended the event.

Catherine Anderson, EIA Associate Director at AECOM, explained the Environmental Impact Assessment process with useful information and tips and provided an update on current issues in the sector.

Planning Aid Wales volunteer Clare Taylor (of MWH Global) then gave an insight into her 20 years’ practical experience of delivering EIAs, with a focus on implications for communities.

A copy of the presentations from the event are available below.

Information on future training event hosted by Planning Aid Wales can be seen below:

• Facilitation in Planning at Cardiff University, afternoon of 26^th January 2015. An in-house train-the-trainer style event for volunteers.

• PAW Volunteer skill-sharing conference at City and County of Swansea offices, afternoon of 19^th March 2015.

• Planning Law and Policy update at Acuity Legal’s offices in Cardiff, 23^rd April 2015. The event will be sponsored and delivered by Acuity Legal