Localism Act & Neighbourhood Planning

Andrew EnglandAssistant Head of Planning and Regeneration

Localism Act & Neighbourhood Planning Localism Act. What is a Neighbourhood Plan? Front Runner Pilots. Guidance for Local Councils. Costs for Local Councils. Fit with National/ Cornwall Planning Policy. What are the alternative? What help is available? Q&A

Localism Act Planning Overview Abolish Regional Spatial Strategies. Abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission.Community Right to Build.

Amend the Community Infrastructure Levy, which allows councils to charge developers to pay for infrastructure. Some of the revenue will be available for the local community.

Localism Bill Planning overviewProvide for neighbourhood plans, which would be approved if they received 50% of the votes cast in a referendum.

Provide for neighbourhood development orders to allow communities to approve development without requiring normal planning consent

Localism Act Royal Assent November 2011

Cornwall leads the way Feock Local Development Order.

Newquay Airport Local Development Order. Parish Plans/ Market & Coastal Town Initiative.

Localism in Cornwall Localism team set up at inception of Cornwall Council Portfolio holder for Localism & devolution

What is a Neighbourhood Plan? Neighbourhood planning is about letting the people who know about & care for an area plan for it. It is led by the residential and business community, not the council, & is about building neighbourhoods not stopping growth.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan? Neighbourhood planning is also not entirely new it can build on existing community planning work.

Who is in charge of getting local people to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan?Only Town/ Parish Councils

What does it do? It can set out a vision for an area and planning policies for the use and development of land.

It will be about local rather than strategic issues. For example it could cover where new shops, offices or homes should go and what green spaces should be protected.

The plan does need to be compatible with national policies and Cornwall policies.

What does it do? It should be focused on guiding development rather than stopping it.

If adopted it will become a statutory plan and be used in making decisions on planning applications.

What does it do? Can help to identify what community infrastructure projects are needed village halls, play areas, community renewable schemes, etc. Help set priorities. Community Infrastructure Levy a meaningful proportion goes back to the community.

Forget the jargonAt its heart planning is about colouring in maps to create a picture of your future but these maps have real legal force.

Neighbourhood Development OrdersThese allow local councils to grant permission for development to take place (without the need for planning permission) within the neighbourhood plan area.

Front Runner Pilots/ Bids

Guidance

Guidance

Cornwall Toolkit Cornwall is producing a Neighbourhood Plan Toolkit Provide more detailed breakdown of individual considerations. Learn from the pilots & disseminate good practice. Minimise resources and help make the plan making process more efficient.

Other toolkits

Cost of Neighbourhood Plans The average cost per plan will fall between 17,000 and 63,000. (Dept. for Communities and Local Government estimates)

Referendum costs - we estimate a referendum of around 5,000 people would cost in the region of 5,000. (LGA)

Examination CostsProbably Written Representation process.Independent Inspector appointed and funded by CC.Circa 2K?

Other potential costsPublicity.Publications.Special reports ecology/ contaminated land / viability assessments.External experts.

Who pays? The Governments Supporting Communities fund will provide financial assistance for professional support. The local authority has a duty to support but may or may not be able to provide financial assistance to the development of the plan, although it will be for the council to fund the independent assessment & the referendum.

Who pays? Developers & landowners may provide financial assistance where they have an interest in securing planning permission.

Compliance with National & Cornwall Planning Policy Once approved the neighbourhood development plan will become part of the statutory development plan for Cornwall.

It is important to remember that for a neighbourhood development plan to be successful it needs to be in general conformity with the existing development plan for the local area.

What are the alternative? You dont have to do a neighbourhood plan. What does your community actually want? You could for example apply for planning permission.Neighbourhood Plans could range from simple vision for your community to fully blown development plans.

Why cant I wait until I hear about a planning application?Because when a notice appears it may already be too late for you to have a big influence.The real power behind planning is the Local Plan and local people now have much stronger rights to help create that plan.Get the plan right & steer development to where it is needed.

What help is available? Cornwall Council has a duty to support.

Also help from others.

What help is available? There 213 Town & Parish Councils in Cornwall!

Process Getting Started

Developing Vision & Objectives

Developing The Plan

Independent Examination

Referendum

What might it look like?

Dawlish one of 123 front runners

Who wants to do a Neighbourhood Plan?

Finally actually it can very rewarding

Report stage House of Lords last count just had 4th sitting of house of lords

Toolkit Professionals including the localism team. 3. Guidance on going training and information. Plug training events on Localism Bill The Clease Hall, Camelford, 14 November 2011 St Austell One Stop Shop 29 November 2011 The Berlewen Building, Pool, 13 December 2011