Disruptive Localism – How Far Does Clientelism Shape the Prospects of Neighbourhood Planning in Deprived Urban Communities? (original) (raw)

2021, Planning Theory & Practice

This paper reports on a study of Neighbourhood Planning in more deprived urban areas of the North West region of England. This study reveals that, alongside other factors which have been cited as influencing Neighbourhood Planning practice, including the socioeconomic composition of areas, professional attitudes and resource availability, the stance of elected representatives is important in shaping the processes and outcomes of this new more citizen-led form of planning. The paper explores this by considering how far barriers to Neighbourhood Planning, and the variable support offered by local planning authorities to deprived urban communities in the Neighbourhood Planning process, might be accounted for by practices of clientelism. It concludes that the concept of clientelism provides a useful lens through which to interpret the attitude of existing powerholders and interests towards Neighbourhood Planning as a potential disruptor of established patterns of influence and powerholding in deprived urban communities.