Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England

Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural EnglandSupporting Communities in Planning: Planning Workshop

Lance Wiggins, Associate Director, Landmark Planning Over 20 years experience in town and country planning including:

Landmark Planning - Town Planning ConsultancyDavid Wilson Homes - Volume HousebuilderLocal Authorities including Harborough District and Melton Borough CouncilsPlanning Aid Volunteer since 1994Supporting Communities in Planning

The Leicestershire Picture

The current town and country planning system

Planning PolicyPlanning ApplicationsOther applicationsPlanning AppealsPlanning Enforcement

Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning PolicyHierarchy of planning policy:National Planning Policy Statements/GuidanceRegional Planning PoliciesCounty Structure PlansMinerals/Waste Local Development Frameworks/Local PlansLocal Development Frameworks/Local PlansSupporting Communities in Planning

National Planning Policy Statements (PPS)National Planning Policy Guidance (PPG)25 documents covering all subjects ranging from generic (e.g. PPS1 Sustainable Development) to specific (e.g. PPG10 Waste Management)Technical guidance that is a material consideration in determining planning applications and appealsSupporting Communities in Planning

Regional Planning PoliciesRegional Plans or Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS)For Leicestershire, RSS8 - the Regional Plan for the East Midlands is the operative documentAdopted 2009, abolished 2012?Part of the development plan, the starting point for the consideration of planning applications and appealsSupporting Communities in Planning

County Structure PlansLeicestershire County Structure Plan adopted 2005 to cover period until 2016Prepared by County Councils to provide strategic guidance and formerly an established part of the development plan, now largely supersededCounty Council role in planning now focused on place-shapingSupporting Communities in Planning

Minerals and Waste Local Development Frameworks/Local PlansPrepared by County Councils to provide guidance on the strategy for and location of large minerals and waste developmentsIn Leicestershire, the Waste Core Strategy and Development Control DPD was adopted in 2009.Site Allocations DPD to determine the locations for large scale facilities has been the subject of consultation.Supporting Communities in Planning

Local Development Frameworks (LDF)/ Local PlansA LDF is a virtual folder of documents that provide the local planning policy guidance for an areaThe Core Strategy is the principal component of the LDF - provides spatial vision and main policiesOther important components include Site Allocations DPD, Development Control Policies DPD etc.Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning ApplicationsOutline planning applications (principle)Reserved matters approval (details)Full applications Applications to discharge conditionsApplications to renew planning permissionsOther applicationsSupporting Communities in Planning

Planning AppealsPublic inquiriesHearingsWritten RepresentationsHouseholder appealsOther appeals e.g. certificates of lawful useSupporting Communities in Planning

Planning EnforcementUnauthorised development complaints Retrospective applicationsPlanning Contravention NoticesEnforcement Notices(Temporary) Stop NoticesAppeals against Enforcement NoticesSupporting Communities in Planning

Supporting Communities in PlanningLocal issues/developments in LeicestershireIn the context of low economic growth, five year housing land supply deficiencies = speculative developmentsLack of complete LDF coverage = speculative developmentsUncertainties over Regional and national planning = speculative developments

Local issues/developments in LeicestershireHousehold projections indicate a need for significantly more houses to be built nationallyHistorically, in 1960s/1970s over 300-350,000 new houses built per year2009 target was 240,000 - this target was missed as less than 200,000 builtAccommodating new housing development - large scale Sustainable Urban Extensions eg New Lubbesthorpe or lots of small scale expansions?Supporting Communities in Planning

Local issues/developments in PlanningEncouraging new commercial development to promote economic growth e.g. strategic distribution sites - Magna Park, Castle Donington?Out of town retailing eg. expansion of Fosse Park shopping centreRenewable energy eg wind turbines, solar farms


What will Localism mean for local communities?Number of aspects, not all related to planningPower of competence for local authoritiesPredetermination eg planning applicationsCommunity right to challenge/assets of community valueCommunity right to buildNationally significant infrastructure projectsSupporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities?Planning PolicyAbolition of Regional Spatial StrategiesThe duty for local authorities to co-operateReforming the Community Infrastructure LevyFocus on reporting progress with LDFs to local peopleLimiting powers of inspectors to amend DPDs


What will Localism mean for local communities?Additional planning enforcement powersStrengthening powers to tackle abuses of the planning system eg. the hay bale housePower not to determine retrospective applicationsIncreased fines for non-complianceRemoval of advertisements


What will Localism mean for local communities?Neighbourhood Planning - in force April 2012Neighbourhood Development PlansNeighbourhood Development OrdersCommunity Right to Build OrdersExaminations and referendums - resources?Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities?Additional consultation requirementsRequirement for applicant to state how consultation responses have been taken into account


Putting it all together: Getting actively involved in PlanningExisting planning system - is the role of the local council reactive?New planning system - can local councils be more proactive?Supporting Communities in Planning

Putting it all together: Getting actively involved in PlanningWill you get more involved in the LDF preparation process? - what are your barriers to doing so?Is there an appetite for preparing a Neighbourhood Plan in your area? - what do you think the main issues would be?Do you have the tools at your disposal to prepare an effective, robust Plan?Supporting Communities in Planning

Putting it all together: Getting actively involved in PlanningDo the new Community right to build and community asset powers appeal to you?What do you think the main issues might be?As new powers become more devolved - what other areas of planning would you be interested in being more involved in? e.g. determining planning applicationsSupporting Communities in Planning

**

Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England

Documents

Transcript of Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England