Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England Supporting 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 Consultancy David Wilson Homes - Volume Housebuilder Local Authorities including Harborough District and Melton Borough Councils Planning Aid Volunteer since 1994 Supporting Communities in Planning

The Leicestershire Picture The current town and country planning system ▫ Planning Policy ▫ Planning Applications ▫ Other applications ▫ Planning Appeals ▫ Planning Enforcement Supporting Communities in Planning

▫ Planning Policy ▫ Planning Applications ▫ Other applications ▫ Planning Appeals ▫ Planning Enforcement Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning Policy Hierarchy of planning policy: National Planning Policy Statements/Guidance Regional Planning Policies County Structure Plans Minerals/Waste Local Development Frameworks/Local Plans Local Development Frameworks/Local Plans Supporting 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 appeals Supporting Communities in Planning

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

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by County Councils to provide strategic guidance and formerly an established part of the development plan, now largely superseded County Council role in planning now focused on place-shaping Supporting Communities in Planning

Minerals and Waste Local Development Frameworks/Local Plans Prepared by County Councils to provide guidance on the strategy for and location of large minerals and waste developments In Leicestershire, the Waste Core Strategy and Development Control DPD was adopted in 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 Plans A LDF is a virtual folder of documents that provide the local planning policy guidance for an area The Core Strategy is the principal component of the LDF - provides spatial vision and main policies Other important components include Site Allocations DPD, Development Control Policies DPD etc. Supporting Communities in Planning

▫ Planning Policy ▫ Planning Applications ▫ Other applications ▫ Planning Appeals ▫ Planning Enforcement Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning Applications Outline planning applications (principle) Reserved matters approval (details) Full applications Applications to discharge conditions Applications to renew planning permissions Other applications Supporting Communities in Planning

▫ Planning Policy ▫ Planning Applications ▫ Other applications ▫ Planning Appeals ▫ Planning Enforcement Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning Appeals Public inquiries Hearings Written Representations Householder appeals Other appeals e.g. certificates of lawful use Supporting Communities in Planning

▫ Planning Policy ▫ Planning Applications ▫ Other applications ▫ Planning Appeals ▫ Planning Enforcement Supporting Communities in Planning

Planning Enforcement Unauthorised development complaints Retrospective applications Planning Contravention Notices Enforcement Notices (Temporary) Stop Notices Appeals against Enforcement Notices Supporting Communities in Planning

Local issues/developments in Leicestershire In the context of low economic growth, five year housing land supply deficiencies = speculative developments Lack of complete LDF coverage = speculative developments Uncertainties over Regional and national planning = speculative developments

Local issues/developments in Leicestershire Household projections indicate a need for significantly more houses to be built nationally Historically, in 1960s/1970s over ,000 new houses built per year 2009 target was 240,000 - this target was missed as less than 200,000 built Accommodating 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 Planning Encouraging 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 centre Renewable energy eg wind turbines, solar farms Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities? Number of aspects, not all related to planning Power of competence for local authorities Predetermination eg planning applications Community right to challenge/assets of community value Community right to build Nationally significant infrastructure projects Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities? Planning Policy Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies The duty for local authorities to co- operate Reforming the Community Infrastructure Levy Focus on reporting progress with LDFs to local people Limiting powers of inspectors to amend DPDs Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities? Additional planning enforcement powers Strengthening powers to tackle abuses of the planning system eg. the hay bale house Power not to determine retrospective applications Increased fines for non-compliance Removal of advertisements Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities? Neighbourhood Planning - in force April 2012 Neighbourhood Development Plans Neighbourhood Development Orders Community Right to Build Orders Examinations and referendums - resources? Supporting Communities in Planning

What will Localism mean for local communities? Additional consultation requirements Requirement for applicant to state how consultation responses have been taken into account Supporting Communities in Planning

Putting it all together: Getting actively involved in Planning Existing 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 Planning Will 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 Planning Do 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 applications Supporting Communities in Planning