Nathaniel Lichfield

CHAPTER 3 – Evaluation in the Planning Process

This publication is divided into 3 parts and contains 12 chapters. Part 1, principles governing the use of evaluation in the planning process, contains 6 chapters as follows: 1. Evaluation and planning; 2. The planning process; 3. Evaluation in the planning process; 4. Current methods of plan evaluation; 5. A comparison of the planning balance sheet with the goals-achievement matrix method of evaluation; 6. Measurement in plan evaluation. Part II, an exploration and critique of recent evaluation practice, contains chapters 7-11 as follows: 7. Regional studies; 8. Sub-regional studies; 9. An urban structure plan study (brighton March 1970-March 1974); 10. A new town study (irvine September 1968-January 1971); 11. A major project (third London airport June 1968-December 1970); part III, implications for planning procedures consists of chapter 12, recommendations for short listing procedures and the assessment of options. /TRRL/

Evaluation methodology of urban and regional plans: A review

Lichfield N. (1970) Evaluation methodology of urban and regional plans: A Review, Reg. Studies 4, 151–165. Of recent years there has been advancement in the urban and regional planning process in terms of the conscious searching out of alternative policies, projects and plans with a view to selection amongst them of the preferred solution. The search may be confined to the design process of the professional planners culminating in one preferred solution to the political decision makers; or it may lead to the presentation of alternatives to the decision makers, with or without a recommendation as to choice. In both cases there is need for formal testing of the alternatives with a view to indicating the preferred choice. There has also been advancement in such testing methodologies. But a distinction is here made between tests in general and the particular test of a plan or project as a whole with a view to choice of that which is best in terms of community welfare. Such a test is here called Plan Evaluatio...

Cost-Benefit Analysis in City Planning

Abstract City planning proposals are made for the purpose of increasing the communitys welfare in the evolution of cities. Ideally, the particular proposals made would be those likely to yield the largest attainable combination of net benefits, as compared with the costs of attaining them. Yet, to date the profession has not developed a method for identifying and comparing benefits and costs. As a consequence, it cannot be demonstrated which of alternative plans or projects will bring the highest level of welfare returns in relation to the sacrifices that attach to each. Here a method for cost-benefit analysis is outlined to assist in these objectives.

Cost-benefit analysis in planning: A critique of the Roskill Commission

Lichfield N. (1971) Cost-benefit analysis in planning: A critique of the Roskill Commission, Reg. Studies 5, 157–183. The work of the (Roskill) Commission on the Third London Airport, and also that of its Research Team, was an outstanding contribution to the practice of decision-making in urban and regional planning. Nevertheless, at certain critical stages in their process the Commission was at serious fault. This paper examines these methodological weaknesses, and in particular, the Commissions unsatisfactory use of cost-benefit analysis and its inadequate treatment of issues of regional planning. Had the Commission made better use of the cost-benefit analysis as a framework for arriving at its decision, it is possible that an alternative conclusion would have been reached, namely the one subsequently reached by the Government, Foulness.

Cost benefit analysis in urban expansion

Lichfield N. (1969) Cost benefit analysis in urban expansion. A case study: Peterborough, Reg. Studies 3, 123–155. The City of Peterborough is to be expanded by a New Town Development Corporation to accommodate twice its present population, of 80,000. In 1966 the Minister appointed an inter-disciplinary team of Consultants to prepare a Draft Basic plan as a basis for the area to be designated for the expansion. At an early stage in the design process it emerged that the expansion appeared to allow for at least four conceptually different approaches, termed hypotheses. Cost benefit analysis in the form of the Planning Balance Sheet was then used to evaluate these approaches, and to form the basis for designing a fifth, which became the recommended designated area. The article presents the analysis and shows how the technique of the Planning Balance Sheet can be used as a design tool in the process of plan making and as a method of setting out the rationale behind the Plan recommended by the professional pl...

Cost Benefit Analysis in Town Planning: A Case Study : Swanley

Cost benefit analysis is used to assist choice between alternative decisions. It does so by comparing the costs and benefits that will flow from the alternatives as a guide to which choice will bring the greater margin of benefits over costs or the greater net return in benefits for the resources invested. The analysis, used in the private sector under other names, is straightforward, although technical problems abound, for the decision maker is conerned primarily with his own objectives and, therefore, a limited range of private costs and benefits which can normally be measured by market prices. In contrast, in the public sector, community objectives must be reckoned with, the range of costs and benefits is wider, and many benefits being public goods have no market price as a guide to their value. It is in the public sector that cost benefit analysis has been receiving growing attention particularly for public investment decisions, as this sector extends and public decision makers become more conscious of the need to economise in resources. As a recent authoritative res~iew has shown, starting with water resource projects in the U.S. it is being extended to highways, urbanisation of agricultural land, municipal services, education, health, defence and regional development) It is the writers view that the analysis can be extended to aid decisions on tog~a and regional plans. The argument is this. t In any geographical area where economic and social forces are producing change, a host of independent agencies, both private and public, will make decisions to invest in housing, factories, roads, shops, open space, civic buildings, etc. Even if each individual decision were of itself efficient, it is generally accepted that the consequences, in the form shape, appearance, functioning and general efficiency of our towns and settlements, leave much to be desired, so that some form of town and regional planning has become necessary. In economic terms, the shortcomings can be ascribed to the inadequacies of the land market which, it can be shown, would produce the best use of resources if it worked well. But it also can be shown that due to its imperfections it cannot work sufficiently smoothly, works hardly at all in the public sector, and above all, takes account only of private and not social costs and benefits. Thus, the object of planning is to remedy the market

The integration of environmental assessment into development planning: Part 1, some principles

Despite a long-standing concern amongst development planners for the environment, there is a lack of integration of the two disciplines. With the increasing world awareness of scarce resources of the planet it is essential that environmental assessments and planning go hand-in-hand. In the first of two articles the principles involved in this integration are discussed. The second article, to appear in our next issue, will consider a case study.

Environmental impact assessment in project appraisal in Britain

In July 1988, the EEC made mandatory the environmental assessment(EA) of certain categories of development project, as a preliminary for obtaining planning permision: this clearly has implications for project appraisal in Britain. The Department of the Environment has issued regulations and a circular and propose an advisory booklet, now in draft. These open up critical questions. In future practice, will the impacts be seen as entities in themselves and not in relation to the implications to people? Also, will the term ‘environment’ be used somewhat narrowly, only for the biogeophysical, and not in relation to the total human environment which is of concern in planning? It is important that EA be used to contribute to the cost benefit analysis and not as an end in itself. Equally, although it is an important part of the development planning process, EA is by no means the whole.

Relocation: The Impact on Housing Welfare

Abstract San Franciscos first redevelopment project in the Western Addition has involved the displacement of some 4,000 households. Most of these had extremely low incomes and, before clearance of the area, paid very low rents for quite poor housing accommodations. A study of the relocation files shows that as a result of the project most of these households now pay considerably more rent for divellings which are apparently of higher average quality. Little overcrowding was in evidence either before or after relocation. Households tended to move to adjacent areas where similar types of dwelling units were available. Some of the adjacent areas will be cleared in subsequent projects, and many of these households will be displaced once more.

Scope of the Regional Plan

Lichfield N. (1967) Scope of the Regional Plan, Reg. Studies 1, 11–16. The pattern of regional planning in Britain can be compared with the contrasting models offered by the United States, France and Venezuela. There are some essential elements of a regional plan, which can be grouped under the headings: objectives, problems, function, content, programme and implementation. A critical need is for mutual adjustment between plans made at different levels.