17909 Local Strategic Planning

Description

This subject explores the role of local strategic planning in shaping community futures. The subject begins by addressing the rationale for strategic planning (contrasting it with statutory planning), the relationship among metropolitan, sub-regional, and local strategic plans, and comparisons of this hierarchy amongst the states and territories. Students develop an in-depth understanding of the major components of strategic plans, and alternative approaches to developing these components. These include community visioning and the identification of priorities, defining local character and values, developing a long-term plan for land use and the infrastructure (transport, social, and green) that will support it, and strategic choices that can help communities manage change (environmental, economic, and social). The final section of the subject asks students to reflect on the values advanced by the practice of local strategic planning efforts, based on contrasting case studies of both contentious and collaborative state-local strategic planning efforts. Under what circumstances can local planning efforts build effective local planning practice? Can local strategic planning help manage climate change, economic volatility, and political and social uncertainty?