Determining the Effectiveness of Adopting the Synoptic Planning Theory in Contemporary Planning: A case study of East Mocha-Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, Guyana

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Since the passage of the 1946 Town and Country Planning Act, there has been a significant evolution of physical planning in Guyana. In particular, emphasis was placed on settlement planning with major inputs in public participation. The intent of the transformative planning process was not only to address the growing demand for housing, particularly among the low- and middle-income groups, but also to foster transparency in deci- sion-making with respect to the allocation of land and other resources. The aim of the study was to apply the synoptic planning theory with public participation as its cornerstone to develop an effective framework to be used as a model for the development of housing in East Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara. In Guyana, while the synoptic model is not specifically referenced in official documents, planning practice by the central planning authorities appears to embrace most of the key elements of the model and thus provides a basis for its relevance, applicability and effectiveness to be tested. This study was based on a scenario in which 1000 low- and middle-income homes were constructed on a 300-acre plot of land. The data collection procedure involved focus groups of research participants and the perusal of planning documents to garner information on policies and other related issues. The results showed that the synoptic planning theory approach can contribute to settlement planning by allowing community members to freely express their vision and needs in relation to housing development plans and programmes. One limitation of the study, however, is that the planners were not required to consider the views of stakeholders until the end of the planning proposal. The implication is that the planning process deviated from contemporary planning.

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• Urban and Rural Community Development