Transcript Planning Aid England Neighbourhood Planning

Planning Aid England
Neighbourhood Planning: Lessons Learned
Liz Beth MRTPI
Neighbourhood Planning Advisor
What does Planning Aid England do?
• Provides free, independent, professional planning
advice - to people who can’t afford professional fees
• Provides support and training to local communities
so they can influence and contribute to planning
strategy, policy and decision making
• Neighbourhood Planning Support
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Supporting Communities in
Neighbourhood Planning 2013-2015
• DCLG supported programme launched April 2013;
• Two key forms of support: grants and direct support;
• Also a shared learning element available to any NP group;
• Consortium including Locality, URS, PAE, NPIERS has
delivered the programme;
• The programme now winding down – new proposals
coming!
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PAE Case Studies can be found at:http://www.ourneighbourhoodplanning.org.uk/case-studies
• Roseland: a case study on running your steering group;
• Higham Ferrers: a case study about local character and
design;
• Oxford Brookes: a case study about involving students in
neighbourhood planning;
• Friends of Fishwick and St Matthew’s (FOFS): a case study
about dealing with planning and non-planning issues;
• Leeds: a case study about a local authority’s role in
neighbourhood planning.
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Key Challenges Faced by Communities
• Setting up Forums
• Engaging hard to reach groups
• Understanding what land use planning policies are
• Project planning and Process
• Need for evidence
• Writing policy
• Resourcing
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Even More Challenges!
• SEA
• Engaging constructively
• Separating fact from opinion
• Supporting statements
• Engaging Consultants
• Staying engaged
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Understanding the need for Evidence
• “Decide where you want new homes and businesses to go” –
Groups have taken this to mean only evidence needed for site
selection is local opinion….
• Promoting and explaining the LPA evidence available is a key
support role for LPAs;
• SHLAA often misunderstood – seen as an LPA allocation exercise
• As ‘soundness’ of a neighbourhood plan (NP) not considered by
examiner; need for evidence base = need for robust policy;
• URS have done useful evidence reviews for groups.
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Project Planning –
Process problems
• Groups have problems with
this because they don’t
understand the process;
• We recommend the PAS
spreadsheet;
• A simple key tasks list with
indicative dates should be
drawn up early in the plan
preparation process.
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Understanding landuse planning policy – Quiz
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Provision of affordable homes?
Retention of trees?
Community litter patrols?
Satellite dish restrictions?
Expanded community bus services?
Promotion of renewable energy in new homes?
20mph speed restrictions?
Colour of bricks to use?
Changing a house to a nursery?
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Writing Policy – how to approach this
• Work up a vision and objectives if not already done;
• Issues and options can be teased out of existing
evidence – ie state of the parish and local surveys etc;
• Used “Policy Intent” as a bridge – ie what do you want
your policy to do?
• Introduce the need for technical evidence as well as
local preferences;
• Justification to include reference to evidence in
support and policy compliance.
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Policy Intent
Evidence
Complies with
Local Plan and
NPPF?
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What can local authorities do for local NP groups?
• Explain the policy context and its implications;
• Explaining the process, assisting with project planning;
• Provide information and evidence that the NP may (hopefully) want
to respond to – ie extent and pattern of growth proposed;
• Providing comments on early ideas for policy/issues etc;
• Enable DM to give comments on emerging policy and assist with
policy writing;
• Committing to attend number of forum meetings;
• Providing access to materials from PAE, Locality, PAS etc;
• Providing consistency and clarity throughout the process;
• Keep group in the loop in later stages of the process.
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Examples of good LPA engagement
Leeds - Holbeck
• Intensive support over 18 months
from officers of both Development
Dept. (Planning) and Citizens &
Communities Dept.
Leeds Neighbourhood
Planning Agreement sets out
the role and responsibilities of
the Council, qualifying body
and support organisations
• Technical/admin support
• Attendance at Forum meetings,
Support Group meetings
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Examples of good LPA engagement Leeds 2
Linton
• Attendance at group
meetings in order to provide
detailed comments on final
emerging drafts
• Detailed email comments
Leeds City Council
• Hold a quarterly NP
Steering Group meeting
• Provide excellent officer
support (across 6 or more
Planning officers)
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Examples of good LPA engagement - Bristol
• Strategic Planning team supports NP groups – 6 officers;
• 2 levels of support – higher in areas of deprivation & regeneration;
• Memorandum of understanding with level 2 groups;
• Links to other council departments’ resources and technical
support (transport, housing);
• Regular attendance at meetings;
• Advice on content and policy wording of plan;
• Links to existing Neighbourhood Partnerships;
• Bristol currently has 5 NP groups.
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Examples of good LPA engagement - Camden
• Supporting highest number of
Forums in London (10) – eg Kentish
Town, Highgate, West Hampstead
• Dedicated officers
• Cross-boundary plans & complex
issues (e.g. HS2)
• Regular attendance at forum
meetings; comments on policies by
email; evidence advice.
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Example of good LPA practice - Cornwall
http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environmentand-planning/planning/neighbourhoodplanning-toolkit/?page=31540
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Contact Details
[email protected]
PAE Advice Line: 0330 123 9244
E-mail: [email protected]
www.rtpi.org.uk/planningaid
To volunteer:
http://www.rtpi.org.uk/planning-aid/volunteering/how-to-apply/
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