LAST EVENTS

WHAT IS PICT

PICT – Planning Inclusion of Clients through eTraining

PICT is a transnational project partly financed by the European Commission. It is part of the Leonardo Da Vinci community training programme, designed to modernise training provision across Europe. Local authorities, universities, private consultancies and social partners in four European countries, Belgium, Greece, Hungary and the UK, are taking part in the PICT project

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

PICT is designed to ease public participation in town planning by developing and using ICT to encourage greater working together and understanding between planners and the public.

WHO CAN BENEFIT?

Local residents who want to better understand planning and who would like to become involved in the shaping of planning decisions that affect their lives.

Entrepreneurs who are affected planning decisions and would like to develop their ability to take part in the process.

Planners who can improve their skills in new planning and design technology and can further develop their communications with everyone with an interest in the planning process. This will help to develop a more informed and open process.

Local authorities who train planning staff to use advanced ICT planning to create a wide-ranging and easy to understand planning process.

Universities can jointly create learning material, test 'easy to use' design and mapping tools and include them as part of their teaching at both national and European level.

THE FUTURE

The PICT project is developing both the theory and the practice of public involvement in planning, reviewing and defining this across Europe and compiling examples of good practice and legislation.

Each of the four participating countries is host to a pilot project. Using the existing experience as a starting point, each project charts the needs of local people and planners and their ability to work together.

Following from this, a planning issue in each area will be used to test the participation process. ICT applications are being developed to show the points for dialogue and contact between the public and planners. From this learning themes will emerge that will enable everyone concerned to develop their involvement.

To manage the process themselves, each pilot area will set up a local consultative committee and a task force to offer advice and practical help to individuals.

Local workshops, newsletters and an international conference together with this dedicated project web site are designed to raise public awareness and to widely publicise the project products and results. The European Council of Town Planners is a key partner and is responsible for highlighting the good practice that emerges from this project across Europe.

The project started in December 2002 and will end in November 2005