The consultation element of the Locking Parklands project has adopted the innovative and exciting approach of 'Enquiry by Design' or EbD as it is known. This process is quickly becoming an established way to plan and design complex sites such as the one at the former RAF Locking. It places all the experts and interest groups into the same room at the same time. When all the players work closely in this way, tackling problems together, the result is a quicker process, better communications and ultimately, a better quality design.
Elsewhere is the country, communities have played an integral part in the planning and design process through an EbD. This has given local people a sense of ownership over the proposals and a real chance to have a say in how they want their towns and villages to develop.
The EbD process relies on an extremely concise and concentrated effort over a just a few days. This requires a lot of preparation beforehand and effective management during the event itself. In order for it to be efficient and productive, the numbers of participants needs to be limited, simply to allow for a real focus on the design work. However, this is balanced by some key sessions being open to the wider public, allowing them to see work in progress and to comment on emerging designs.
Local residents and businesses have the opportunity to influence the redevelopment through this process. Over the several months, the design team (that includes experts in planning, transport, ecology, flooding, property market, landscape, sustainability, architecture and urban design) will be working closely with North Somerset Council and local community groups. 
The timetable of events for the EbD is as follows:
7th September - Introduction to the EbD process to members of Locking Parish Council and the Locking Parish Plan.
10th October - Briefing session for North Somerset Council local authority officers.
12th October - Briefing session for the local community and wider stakeholders at Locking Village Hall.
19th October - Posters at an exhibition organised by North Somerset Council announcing the new brand of 'Locking Parklands', the first interest from employers in locating on the site (Oxford Instruments) and explaining the EbD process.
19th October - Walkabout on site by local residents with a member of the design team.
27th, 28th and 29th November - Concentrated three day EbD design event, consisting of local stakeholders, technical experts, local authority officers and invited stakeholders.
29th November, evening - Public meeting to provide a summary of the previous three day's work to the wider public.
There follows a period of testing when the concept masterplan agreed at the EbD is checked in terms of economic viability, deliverability and other technical details are tested. While all these issues are, of course, factored in throughout the EbD sessions, there needs to be a period of considered checks to ensure the robustness of the masterplan.
January or February 2007 - Refine the masterplan at second event. After the period of testing, the masterplan is examined again at a follow-up event. This is to ensure that any changes that have been brought about through the testing process are still in line with the aims and aspirations expressed by participants at the first EbD event.
Former RAF Locking: Resident's Update Meeting 8 March 2007 (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 6471.63kb)
EBD Initial Drawings - Locking Parklands (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 382.50kb)
Locking Parklands, the former RAF locking site will provide high-quality business accommodation and homes in mature, landscaped grounds.