The coordination between top-down planning and bottom-up community perspectives is what makes great “place-based” planning. The demographic profile, character, and needs of communities vary substantially between neighbourhoods. This diversity creates unique places that require context-specific planning policies. Place-based planning begins with listening to the needs and the objectives of residents living in a neighbourhood. No one understands the challenges and opportunities of a place better than those who live and work there. A place-based approach means all government departments focus on the outcomes of a place rather than on individual projects. It privileges the needs of residents over the profits of non-owner property investors.
