Issues in use of computer visualisation of large-scale urban developments as planning support tools

1 ABSTRACT A focus on planning procedures at different stages helps to recognise some of the difficulties inherent in planning, particularly the outcome of changes to the built environment and the importance of people’s involvement in the process. One of the areas that gives rise to significant public dissatisfaction and feelings of dis-empowerment is that of urban planning. The replication on the web of existing plans cartographicbased approaches tend to perpetuate the requirement for trained interpretations, thereby contributing to the exclusion of the general public from participation. Similarly, static computer generated representation of 3D models that aspire to simulate the real environment, described as “an incomparable tool”[1] for winning approval quickly or speeding the funding process, are often questioned for not providing a comprehensive understanding of the proposed developments. We argue that more effective tools are required to clearly display urban planning proposals, in particular large scale commercial developments. Planning support tools and representations were examined thorugh two projects, an ESRC funded investigation of perceived credibility of design representations and the Interreg funded VEPs project. In this paper we examine the expectations of the agencies involved, the primary purpose of the representations and tools that is served and whether they support exchange of views and discussion by providing an effective base for consensus. The feedback and responses to date have shown that various stages and purposes within the planning process require different level of information and that appropriate visualisation techniques are needed in order to reduce the requirement for trained interpretation and encourage the participation of the general public in planning process.