Newtown Community Association (NCA) in Exeter could soon have a new building due to funding soon to be released through the New Homes Bonus.

The Community Association based in Belmont Park in Exeter has been drawing up plans for a new facility, which will be an exemplar of sustainable passive technology and provide the local community with a much needed updated facility for local clubs and groups to meet.

The NCA have been working with Exeter based Living Space Architects to create a Vision for the scheme which will shortly be submitted for planning permission.

Kirsty Curnow director of Living Space Architects said: “We have been working hard with the community to create a building that meets their needs and uses as little energy as possible and the NCA are delighted that the council may be able to provide some of the funding that is required to make the scheme viable”

Living Space Architects have designed projects for community groups, including a children’s football centre funded by the Football Foundation in Tavistock and a Community Centre in Belmont Park in Exeter.

Neighbourhood planning – the new tier of the planning system –seeks to give communities more control over the future of their area.  But planning, design and development are complex and the skills that architects possess – enabling, facilitating, visioning, innovating and stimulating ideas – will be vitally needed if neighbourhood planning is to work.

“Evidence and experience drawn from participatory design practice points to the fact that a collaborative design process done well not only engages local people in the design of the built environment that they experience everyday, but can also lead to better and more sustainable projects, and to a more collaborative and positive process of change.” RIBA guide to Localism, getting community engagement right.