PLANNING - assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

1 NOTES ON NEIGHBOURHOOD. PLANNING . MINISTRY OF HOUSING,COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. September 2019. Edition 23. Special Interest Articles: Message from the Minister Meet the Champions Introduction to our latest Design toolkit Individual Highlights: New research being com- missioned Engagement update Neighbourhood PLANNING guidance update Affordable housing for sale Page | 1. MESSAGE FROM ESTHER. Welcome to the latest issue of Notes on the demand for new housing. Neighbourhood PLANNING - new and im- proved so we can showcase the great This edition is published as part of work groups are taking forward across Communities Week which is all about the country. celebrating how citizens are bringing their own drive, enthusiasm and exper- Whilst I've only been Housing Minister tise to improve their area - whether that for a few weeks, it's been a rewarding is volunteering to develop a neighbour- experience to see the energy and pas- hood plan, raising money for charity or New Neighbour- sion of so many volunteers who are put- simply visiting older people in need of ting in time and effort to improve their some company.

2 So it would be remiss of towns and villages through the adoption me not to use this opportunity to cham- of a neighbourhood plan. pion the excellent work that thousands of volunteers are doing to improve their hood Plans Re- It's something that has been happening in every region since these plans were area by steering what development does and does not take place, and also search first introduced in 2011 and I know from personal experience how much of an to underline the Government's unwaver- ing support and commitment to neigh- Commissioned impact they are having in making peo- bourhood PLANNING and local communi- ple's lives better. In my own constitu- ties. We are in the process of com- ency of Tatton, residents in Knutsford missioning new research on the delivered a neighbourhood plan follow- I look forward to working with you in the impact of Neighbourhood Plan- ing months of dedicated work and con- days ahead to ensure more areas ben- sultation. efit from adopting a neighbourhood plan ning.

3 The aim of this research is meeting the needs of residents and to improve our understanding of Residents know their area best, so it's building on the real progress made so the impacts of neighbourhood only right we continue to give them the far. plans, for example their role in opportunity to shape the places where supporting the Department's they live and work, allowing them to cre- Best wishes, housing delivery agenda and ate environments that allow families to Esther their broader impact on the lay down roots, older people to enjoy re- PLANNING system. The research tirement and professionals to get on and aims to conclude early in 2020, earn a living this all helping us to meet and will be useful to inform fu- ture thinking on neighbourhood PLANNING . Researchers will be in contact with a number of groups and authorities as part of their work. Minister of State for Housing The Rt Hon Esther McVey Page | 2. GUIDANCE UPDATE. the housing needs of different groups; and Pre-decision Matters, Historic En- On the 22nd July 2019, we made further vironment, Water Supply, Wastewater updates to the Government's PLANNING and the use of Habitats Regulations Assessment.

4 And Water Quality, Land Affected by guidance. The changes include five Contamination, Land Stability, Healthy new sections that provide guidance on: We have also made amendments to and Safe Communities, and Enforce- the role of the Green Belt in the plan- several sections of the guidance in- ment and Post-Permission Matters. ning system; 5 year housing land sup- cluding: Housing and Economic Land These updates bring the guidance in ply and the Housing Delivery Test; Availability Assessment, Town Cen- line with the revised National PLANNING making effective use of land (including tres and Retail, Strategic Environmen- Policy Framework. PLANNING for higher density develop- tal Assessment and Sustainability Ap- ment); PLANNING for praisal, Plan-Making, Consultation To view these changes to the guid- ance, please visit: lections/ PLANNING -practice-guidance. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. UPDATE. This summer we ran a series of regional The events also highlighted a number key themes, events to gather views about the impact including: of neighbourhood PLANNING , discuss cur- rent issues and look at how the system the need to communicate more clearly about what neighbourhood PLANNING can can be further improved.

5 Do for communities;. We engaged with over 50 representa- the significance of a good relationship be- tives from neighbourhood PLANNING tween the neighbourhood PLANNING group groups, local PLANNING authorities, con- and local PLANNING authority in the success sultancies, the Neighbourhood PLANNING of a neighbourhood plan;. Independent Examiner Referral Service how we can better align local and neigh- bourhood plan-making processes;. (NPIERS) and academia. Attendees challenges facing groups in preparing were generally very positive about the plans in urban and deprived areas; and impact of neighbourhood PLANNING and how we can improve the quality of neigh- highlighted the role it has in empowering bourhood plans. communities, improving knowledge of the PLANNING system and acting as a cat- alyst for community projects and initia- Thank you to all attendees who came and shared tives. their knowledge and experience with us. Page | 3. Meet the Champions We are pleased to introduce Peter Allison and Ron Simpson, who are both neighbourhood PLANNING (NP).

6 Champions. They both welcomed the opportunity to share with us further insight into their roles as a champions as well as their passion and commitment to community involvement respectively in Wilsden, West Yorkshire and Uppingham, Rutland. Peter Allison, NP based in the area. There is a tightly future development could result in champion drawn Green Belt and much of the the village merging with neighbour- possible developable land within the ing villages and with the larger Brad- settlement boundary is valued as lo- ford conurbation. Can you tell us a little cal green space. about yourself and your neighbourhood PLANNING What inspired you to become/in- group/area? terested you in becoming a neigh- I have been a parish councillor in bourhood PLANNING champion? Wilsden, West Yorkshire for 15. I have always had a strong interest years. I am also a member of the in communities taking as much re- board of the Yorkshire Local Council sponsibility as possible for their local Association and the assembly of the area.

7 Neighbourhood PLANNING , National Association of Local Coun- along with other new policies intro- cils. duced with the Localism Act, is an invaluable tool in communities tak- Wilsden is a former mill village on ing on this responsibility. I am inter- the edge of Bronte country in the ested in both how to achieve the Bradford Metropolitan District with a best result for my own community population of about 5,000 living in and helping others to do the best for just over 2,000 households. Alt- their communities. hough there has been significant de- velopment in recent years it still re- tains much of the industrial heritage of a West Yorkshire Victorian mill vil- lage at its core, along with links to the pre-Industrial Revolution period when it was a group of agricultural hamlets. It is a popular place to live and as a result the green fields around the village are under signifi- cant pressure from developers. Alt- How did you become interested in hough a significant number of resi- neighbourhood PLANNING ?

8 Dents commute to Bradford and In recent years the village has grown Leeds, the village has still retained a significantly and available develop- strong local economy with many ment land has been built on. The small and medium sized enterprises community strongly values its dis- tinct identity and is concerned that Page | 4. Since you became a neighbourhood What sort of advice and support Yes, if you are interested in the PLANNING champion, how have you can you provide to neighbour- broader aspects of how neigh- helped other communities in their hood PLANNING groups? bourhood PLANNING can empower neighbourhood PLANNING journey? a community. I am interested in I can give practical advice on start- the development of local councils I have given presentations and advice ing to develop a neighbourhood as a way for communities to be- to three neighbouring parish councils plan and managing the process come more involved in achieving who are at the early stage of develop- both in terms of the experiences things in their area.

9 As a parish ing a neighbourhood plan. I have also and challenges we have encoun- councillor I have a greater arranged a neighbourhood PLANNING tered. One area I feel strongly knowledge of the local govern- workshop for active groups in the Brad- about is policy writing. Unless you ment sector and what can and ford, Calderdale and Kirklees districts. have a clear idea of precisely what cannot be achieved. This included a presentation from His- you want to achieve by a policy, toric England on how local historic as- and then encapsulate your aims in And finally, what would you say sets can be incorporated into a neigh- a clear unambiguous policy, your have been the greatest benefits bourhood plan and from a neighbour- plan is unlikely to achieve your ob- of neighbourhood PLANNING in hood PLANNING consultant on how the jectives. your area? evidence base required for a neigh- Would you recommend becom- It has made the community think bourhood plan is evolving. ing a neighbourhood PLANNING about longer term objectives as champion?

10 Well as shorter term issues. Ron Simpson, NP champion Can you tell us a created with the help of our local and money to the local level. With little about yourself business led community partner- the support of the then Deputy and your neigh- ship, Uppingham First. Leader of the County Council, and bourhood PLANNING See the town council, we submitted a group/area? for all the working bid from our local community part- versions of the plan and their sup- nership for front runner status. I am a retired local government porting data. Neighbourhood PLANNING has been chief officer who settled in the a big part of my life since then. I. lovely market town of Uppingham in How did you become interested now promote the merits of neigh- Rutland (population 5k) over 25 in neighbourhood PLANNING ? bourhood PLANNING and related mat- years ago. My volunteering history ters to parishes through my Execu- is online at I I saw the original legislation shap- tive role in the Leicestershire and am a local town councillor and was ing up in the House of Commons Rutland Association of Local Coun- the principal author of my commu- and realised that it was likely to be cils, our local parish network and nity's neighbourhood plan which well received in our small commu- conference presentations around was a government front runner and nity as it devolved some real power the UK; also, occasionally, in my Page | 5.