Lecture on Neighbourhood Planning

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING
Neighbourhoods: It is a small unit which serves the local community and encouraged them to
foster a neighbourhood spirit or relationship which seems to have been lost in modern life.
Neighbourhood planning is to organize neighbourhood residents and seek their input
throughout the planning process. Neighbourhood Planning is an American idea and is based
on the simple principle that one is planning for society and not for aggregate of houses.

In case of big towns, it sometimes becomes difficult to develop a sense of neighbourliness,

mainly for two reasons. They are:
1. The neighbours are not dependent on one another’s company and aid because city life
gives a wide field of acquaintance and entertainment.
2. The neighbours may not have common modes and habits of living.

• The neighbourhood planning is an attempt to form various physical units of residential

areas in which people belonging to a particular rank of life settles or stay. It is the
intention of a town planner to rejuvenate the valuable idea of neighbourhood which
have been lost in busy uncontrolled city life.

• All the residential units are planned on neighbourhood principle. It is a small unit which
serves the local community and encourages them to foster a neighbourhood spirit or
relationship which seems to have been lost in the modern city life.

• It should possess the best qualities of small town to facilitate the acquaintance and
neighbourly relations and also be broad enough to accommodate sufficient people to
enable each individual to come in contact with people of different strata of society and
compatible tastes.

PURPOSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING:

• To make the people socialize with one and another.
• To enable the inhabitants to share the public amenities and recreational facilities.
• To support a safe and healthy environment within the neighbourhood.
• To provide safety and efficiency to road users and pedestrians.  To maintain, enhance,
and improve area for recreational activities.
• To determine community’s prospects for the future.

ELEMENTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING:

• Residential Facilities,
• Recreational Facilities,
• Road Network,
• Health Facilities and
• Commercial Facilities.
PRINCIPLES OF NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING
1. Size
2. Boundaries
3. Protective Strips
4. Internal Streets
5. Layout of buildings
6. Shopping Centres
7. Community Centres
8. Facilities

Size -The town is divided into self-contained units or sectors of 10,000 Population. This is
further divided into smaller units called neighbourhood unit with 2,000 to 5,000 based on the
requirement of one primary school. The size of the unit is therefore limited to about 1 to 1. 5
sq. km i.e. within walkable distance of 10 to 15minutes.

Boundaries- The unit should be bounded on all its sides by main road, wide enough for traffic.

Protective Strips- These are necessary to protect the neighbourhood from annoyance of traffic
and, to provide suitable facilities for developing parks, playgrounds, and road widening scheme
in future. These are also called Minor Green Belts.

Internal streets- The internal streets are designed to ensure safety to the people and the school
going children in particular, since the mothers are anxious every day till the safe return of the
child. The internal streets should circulate throughout the unit with easy access to shops and
community centres.

Layout of Buildings- To encourage neighbourhood relation and secure social stability and
balance, houses to suit the different income group should be provided such as single family
houses, double family houses, cottages, flats, etc.

Shopping Centres- Each shop should be located on the circumference of the unit, preferably at
traffic junctions and adjacent to the neighbourhood units.

Community Centres- Each community will have its centre with social, cultural and recreational
amenities.

Facilities- All public facilities required for the family for their comfort and convenience should
be within easy reach. These include the primary school, temple, club, retail shop, sport centre,
etc. These should be located within 1km in the central place so as to form a nucleus to develop
social life of the unit.

BENEFITS:
• It makes the people socialize with one and another.
• It improves communication and focuses ideas.
• It helps a neighbourhood identify its strengths and evaluate its own resources.
• It helps to build consensus about what needs to be accomplished.
• It encourages creativity and builds partnerships both within and outside the
neighbourhood.
• It enables others to become more informed and responsive about the policy and
financial decisions of local government.