Approach to developing Liveable Neighbourhoods

This programme is being led by the community with support from the council and our partners with a series of public consultations and co-design opportunities.

Our aim is for the 15 Liveable Neighbourhoods (LNs) in Bath & North East Somerset to reflect the needs and wishes of residents.

Expand the sections below to find out more about how we have developed our approach.

Engagement at every stage

Since 2020 we have held a series of public engagements to identify issues and gather people’s ideas for improvements.

• Autumn 2020: we asked residents across the district how they felt about LNs. 48 communities then applied to become a LN, via ward councillors
• Spring 2021: we prioritised 15 areas where development of LNs could start.
• Winter 2021/22: we asked for feedback on what was good about these areas, what transport-related issues people experienced, and what improvements would make the most impact.
• Spring/Summer 2022: we held a series of co-design workshops in each area to identify and prioritise the measures residents would like to see included in draft designs (see below).
• Autumn 2022: we launched ongoing consultations for a minimum of six months on three through-traffic restriction trials in three areas (ahead of the wider programme).
• Spring 2024: we are proposing to fast track five new trials with ongoing public consultation for a minimum of six months.
• Spring 2024: we will engage the public on the overall designs for each of the LN areas once the full business case is approved.

View the project development timeline for more information and to read our consultation output reports.

View more information on the development of each LN and the outcome of the co-design workshops

A co-design approach

During our early public engagements, we asked people to register their interest to keep involved in the programme and join a co-design workshop for their LN. Around 1000 residents across the area registered to keep informed of the process and around 500 people signed up to join their local workshop.

These workshops were held in Spring/Summer 2022, and the specific ideas discussed and put forward by the community informed a draft design for each area.

We now have a package of draft designs and a shortlist of measures for each of the 15 LN areas based on consultation feedback, co-design workshops, and a technical review.

The recommendations will be considered for inclusion in a full business case for the programme that will be submitted to the West of England Combined Authority in Winter 2024.

Find out more about the co-design workshops and plans for each area

Inclusive design

LNs are designed by communities to address the issues they face and to ensure that everyone has fair and safe access to residential streets, regardless of how they travel.

The designers who are interpreting ideas from the community work to national and local standards including government best-practice guidance on inclusive mobility.

We are also working with our local Independent Equalities Advisory Group to ensure that our approach to involving people and our draft designs work for everyone - including vulnerable people and people with disabilities.

Additionally, our partner Sustrans is helping to widen our engagement by involving people in the community with different and seldom-heard voices.

Sustrans has already engaged with several community groups in many areas, ensuring that resident feedback is incorporated into an inclusive design.