ABSTRACT
Charrettes are multiday collaborative events that connect local people with expert facilitation in co-creating spatial designs and action plans. They form a hands-on approach with stated goals that allows for iterative feedback and design changes, which is important for gaining stakeholder understanding and support. Community participation, through early, inclusive, collaborative methods, should be supported and embedded at all tiers of planning to generate a common sense of ownership and to deliver high-quality, enterprising and sustainable places. Success is most likely when charrettes are used to establish a dialogue between the community and the developers and/or planning policymakers who are committed to proceeding with the funding and implementation of a project. A key determinant of the shape of the process will be the funding mechanisms. Developer-led charrettes are likely to be resourced as part of the planning process for a particular site, and are therefore also likely to be well funded.
