Participatory planning in Northern Ireland: the 'learning community' approach.

This article introduces an approach towards enabling citizenship called the 'learning community'. The 'learning community' tries to draw the community into a strategic planning process that is empowering, inclusive, builds a sense of community and is sustainable. It is also ongoing, reflective and collaborative. It aims to link into the development of a new institutional tier in Northern Ireland, in which communities, politicians and professionals can develop partnerships in regional level planning. The article describes the new tools used to facilitate participation and learning, including a participatory planning website - the 'local website'. It concludes by discussing the lessons learned from the experience of piloting the approach in rural County Down, Northern Ireland.