News

Future of Urban Green Spaces in Northern Ireland

We want to hear your views on the green space in your nearest town or city, and how it can be improved in the future.

This short survey will only take you 5-10 minutes to complete. Your response will be used to help develop a vision and action plan for the future of urban green space in Northern Ireland – a project being led by the Northern Ireland Environment Link and the National Trust.

The focus of the survey is on urban green spaces that are free, for example urban parks, playing fields, playgrounds, urban squares, woods, nature sites, allotments and cemeteries. We ask questions about how you travel to them, what you do there, the quality of them, and your priorities for the future. Please answer it from your own personal perspective, rather than representing a company or organisation.

The survey is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time. If you complete the survey, you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 One4all voucher.

The survey will close on 30 November 2022. Please share it with friends and family.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/R7VKS2S

We really appreciate your input.

Planning Advice Outreach (Enniskillen)

Our next drop-in planning advice outreach session will be held on Wednesday, 9 November 2022 in Fermanagh House, Broadmeadow Place, Enniskillen between 12 noon and 4.00 pm.

Our Planning Advice Service is part-funded by the Department for Infrastructure and enables us to provide free, confidential, impartial planning advice to people and communities who cannot afford to pay a private consultant.

You can drop into the advice session any time between 12 noon and 4.00 pm to get one-to-one confidential advice from one of our planners. There is no need to make an appointment. We can give advice on:

how the planning system works (applications; fees; enforcement; appeals);

planning policies;

your council’s decision making process; and

how to comment or object if you think a proposal or a development will have a negative impact on your home or your community.

You can also get advice by email (info@communityplaces.info) or by telephone (9023 9444 or 07783 649288).

Transforming and Sustaining our Services

Community Places is pleased to announce that our application to the Dormant Accounts Fund delivered by the National Lottery Community Fund NI has been accepted and we will receive funding over the next two years to support the transformation of our services.

Kate Beggs, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Northern Ireland Director, said: “We are pleased to award a grant of £96,000 from the Dormant Accounts Fund NI to Community Places, to future-proof the organisation by developing their digital skills and technology. Money from Dormant Accounts is helping to secure the future of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across Northern Ireland. It is building their capacity, resilience and sustainability, so that they can continue to deliver vital services to local communities.”

Louise O’Kane, our Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to have secured funding through the Dormant Accounts Fund to support the transformation of our digital services which will upskill our team and help us to better meet the needs of local communities.”

Launch of PB Charter

Participatory Budgeting (PB) practice is continuing to develop and grow here, empowering local communities and supporting them to shape and have a genuine say in investment decisions in their areas. As our experience in PB grows it is important to consider and share what ‘good’ PB looks like. Over the last two years (with the support of the National Lottery Community Fund's Great Ideas NI programme) PB Works has been advocating for PB processes which put people in the lead.

To ensure a focus on quality PB processes we have been learning from experience here and further afield and exploring what good PB looks like through a number of on-line and in-room PB Charter Workshops. This has brought together those who have been leading the way in PB practice here and helped us to think about what is different about PB and to consider some of the key aspects which we might want to see reflected in a PB Charter.

You are invited to join us for an in-room celebration to launch the Participatory Budgeting Charter on Tuesday, 27 September 2022. This is an opportunity to

explore the features of the Charter;
network and share your PB experiences and learning;
consider how we continue to shape and grow quality PB;
join the PB Works Network.

The event will be held in the former Tesco building (2 Royal Avenue, Belfast) from 10.00 am to 12 noon and you are welcome to stay for lunch after the launch. Please register here to attend.

If you would like more information on PB works and Putting People in the Lead through Quality Participatory Budgeting please contact Louise O’Kane at Community Places (louise@communityplaces.info).

Planning Advice Outreach (Belfast)

Our next planning advice drop-in session will be held on Wednesday, 24 August 2022 at our offices at 2 Downshire Place, Belfast between 12 noon and 4.00 pm.

You can drop in to the advice session any time between 12 noon and 4.00 pm to get one-to-one confidential advice from one of our planners. There is no need to make an appointment (but please call us in advance if you would like to book an appointment for a specific time). We can give advice on:

how the planning system works (applications; fees; enforcement; appeals);

planning policies;

your council’s decision making process; and

how to comment or object if you think a proposal or a development will have a negative impact on your home or your community.