Rapid plans assessment will review sample of plans under implementation to identify areas of success and challenges from a M&E perspective – how they have been prepared, approval process, main gaps and issues identified during implementation.

Planned

Key Activities

  • Review 3 plans that represent human settlement plans of national, regional and local significance.
  • Assess the implementation  status and take stoke of compliance, deviations, issues of implementation.
  • Review planning procedure focusing on stakeholder participation, consultations held, and the approval process
  • Identify areas of issues and gaps between approved plans and proposals implemented on the ground.

Inputs Required

  • Site visit, Workshop, Meeting and Consultation with the relevant stakeholders and with Taskforce 1 & 2
  • Taskforce 3 to work on this.                                                                                   

Output

A Report highlighting the successes; failures; challenges, issues, and gaps between the approved plans and what have been implemented on the ground, planning and approval.

Accomplished

Rationale for Sample Plans

Taking COVID 19 situation into consideration, the urban plans that the taskforce members are familiar with has been chosen for review.
importantly, one of the taskforce members has been part of the implementation of the local area plan.
The plans from different Dzongkhags have been chosen to get insight of diverse issues and lessons related to the settlement plans and their implementation.

Nationally significant: Thimphu Structure Plan
Being the Capital City, it has been a reference for success and failures of implementation of urban development plans. In terms of information, the Department of Human Settlement is familiar with the plan and its implementation that it collected through several compliance reviews.

Regionally significant: Gelephu Sturcture Plan
In terms of location, Gelephu town is gateway to central eastern region. The Department has carried out compliance review of its plan and implementation. It has also carried out review of the planning process.

Locally significant: Melphey Local Area Plan
It has multifaceted issues arising out of slope and geotechnical studies. Most importantly, one of the taskforce members has been part of the implementation of the local area plan.

Key Issues

  • Precinct such as Heritage, Environment and Traditional Village which restricts high intensity development such as commercial activities are changed:
  • Conversion of E1 and environmental buffers to Uvs and Institutions
  • Issues of the land value and its develop-ability due to Geo-technical studies done after the implementation of the LAP :
  • Delay in implementation of LAPs due to budgetary constraints
  • Road Hierarchy and corresponding widths provided in the Structure Plan not followed in the LAPs
  • Lack of consistency in the approval process and No. of Stakeholder consultations.
  • Amenities such as Parks and community spaces are not developed yet: Less priority.
  • No investment plan and therefore lack of clarity in the priority of development
  • Changes made without following a due process

Recommendations

  • A detailed procedure for making changes to the precincts should be formulated through consultations.
  • A detailed description of precincts highlighting their characteristics, benefits and risks should be prepared and shared during consultations.  
  • Geo-technical studies should be made mandatory requirement for planning.
  • Standardize the process of Stakeholder consultations and approval of human settlement plans. 
  • Besides Investment Plan, there should be a list of projects prioritized as critical to realizing the vision of the structure and enhancing quality of life.

Key Documents