Setting up a Neighbourhood Forum

Lee Green Assembly meeting 23 June 2015

What is a Neighbourhood Forum?

• A community group open to everyone who lives, works, or has an interest in an area

• Empowered to give the community a greater say in local planning

• What extra can a forum add to the good work of Assemblies and Amenity Groups?

• How Forums work with Assemblies and Amenity Groups and Lee Green’s Local Plan

• Reasons not to have a Forum

This Presentation

‘Hard’ Benefits of Forums1. Can make a Neighbourhood Plan for the area - planning policies that have same legal strength as council and national policies which must be considered by anyone wishing to build in the area including:•General ‘shared vision’ policies, eg Green Spaces, Design Principles, where offices, homes and amenities go•Specific ‘Site Allocations’ - how under-used sites should be developed•Design Briefs and Usages - how used sites could be reused if they become unused in the future•Where needed infrastructure and amenities are provided

2. Community choose how 25% of CIL (levy on developers) is spent

3. Empty sites: Make ‘development orders’ – pre-application planning permission to development negotiated with community

4. ‘Community Right to Build’ – planning permission not needed

5. Right to Bid

‘Soft’ Benefits of Forums

1. Share information, learn from each other, talk about and coordinate activities across ward and boundary lines, catching things that might not be being communicated otherwise

2. Non-planning evidence of community desires can be included in the plan as a ‘recommendation’, getting it documented at least in a formal council document

How Effective can a Forum be?

1. Plans must be realistic, achievable and not restrict future development, made collaboratively with councils and landowners

2. Will councils help?3. Will landowners help?4. Cannot cover properties with planning applications

already submitted – eg Leegate5. Examples: Thame Upper Eden

Money!Forum Funding

a. £8,000 + £6,000 from Locality (£22.3 Million 3 year programme) b. Big Lottery Fund's Awards for All

Council Funding

a.£100,000pa for area designationsb.£25,000 pa for forum designationsc.Addition funding for referendum

Technical Expertise Housing Advice and Assessment Heritage and Character Assessment Site Options and Assessment Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment Habitats Regulations Assessment Urban Design and Masterplanning Viability of Proposals Evidence base and policy review Facilitation support Plan health check prior to examination.

Democracy1. Area designation is consulted on by councils2. Membership open to everyone who lives, works or

has an interest in the area3. Steering group strives to be representative and is

elected annually4. Plans are independently examined - are they in line

with national and local strategic policies and community desires, and do they contribute to sustainable development?

5. Plan goes to area-wide vote, same as local election

Are there concerns regarding having a Forum in Lee?

1. Too late for some sites already2. Efficient plans can be made in three years, but if

drawn out the pace of current development means it could be too late to have much affect

3. If not cross ward and cross borough the benefits are reduced

4. A lot of work5. Will developers or councils water down the plan?6. How will it work alongside existing groups and

Assemblies?7. How will the Neighbourhood plan work alongside

Lee Green’s Local Plan?

1. Have the neighbourhood area recognised

2. Have the neighbourhood forum recognised

3. Engage with local people and businesses to establish priorities and identify volunteers

4. Build the evidence base

5. Draft the plan – vision, objectives, policies, proposals, sites, projects

6. Prioritise – and avoid the plan becoming AOB

7. Engage the community in a referendum

What a Forum has to do

Step one: Have the area recognised

How to get involved1. Leave your feedback today2. Be informed via email, website, twitter, facebook, assemblies, local events, updates to amenity groups and assemblies3. Email us leeforum@outlook.com4. Be a proposer 5. Be a member of the steering group

To find out more: www.mycommunity.org.uk