Archipelago Planning for a Resilient Turks and Caicos

Course Details

Having a plan is the first step in meaningful change. The Turks and Caicos Islands National Physical Development Plan (NPDP) was the islands' first to connect a set of goals, objectives, and strategic policies to physical locations based on land use. The plan also brought together an expanded team of local and international consultants focused on coastal and marine engineering, environmental consulting, civil engineering, economic development, tourism consulting, planning, and design.

It was difficult to adopt a plan with a large team of varying backgrounds during a global pandemic and in the face of local political polarization. How could planners and multidisciplinary teams piece together contrasting directions to find a harmonious balance of the natural and built worlds? How does a large team take on a major effort in less than a year? The NPDP required conflict resolution among the community, government stakeholders, elected leaders, and the team spearheading the effort. As global planning efforts increase, this example can show how to balance process and expected planning outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

• Assess differences in international planning strategies, tools, and outcomes.
• Identify methods to assist with cross-professional collaboration.
• Identify key components in national planning successes and failures.