1 Neighbourhood Planning Presentation to Area Committees

Neighbourhood Planning: what is it? New part of the Development Plan introduced by the Localism Act Neighbourhood Plans sit below the Local Plan The Local Plan sets the strategic context within which Neighbourhood Plans will sit Provides more detailed guidance about a neighbourhood – what development do you want in your local area in the future? Neighbourhood Plans are produced by the local community, not the Planning Authority (LPA)

Neighbourhood Planning: who does it? In areas with a Parish Councils, the parish council will take the lead In other areas by Neighbourhood Forums specifically formed to produce a Neighbourhood Plan In Sefton the areas not covered by Parish Councils are Bootle, Litherland, Netherton, Seaforth, Crosby and Southport Community groups can apply to become a Neighbourhood Forum The Council will decide if a group meets the criterion to become a Neighbourhood Forum

Becoming a Neighbourhood Forum Can be an existing community or resident group or local people forming a new group It must be open to new members Must have a least 21 members Must have taken reasonable steps to secure membership from residents, businesses and councillors within neighbourhood area Must have a written constitution to promote the wellbeing of the neighbourhood area and prepare a plan Must have a clearly defined geographic area Forum last for 5 years

What can a Neighbourhood Plan cover? A vision for how communities want their area to be Residents can say: Where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built Have their say on what those buildings should look like Grant planning permission for new buildings they want to see go ahead Must fit with the Local Plan – although it can promote more development than the Local Plan, but not less Can be used to set out local priorities for improvement of local infrastructure and services Proposals must be realistic, not just aspirational

Neighbourhood Plans - Stages Defining the neighbourhood – Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums should agree with the Council the area a plan will cover Preparing the Plan – sets a vision for the future. Based on up-to- date evidence. Should involve a wide range of local residents and businesses Independent Check – independent examiner will check that it meets the appropriate standards Community Referendum – The Council will organise a referendum. Every registered voter in the plan area is entitled to vote. Plan needs more than 50% of vote to be brought into force Adoption and Implementation – Plan now carries legal weight and Council must take account of what it says when considering proposals for development in the area.

Scope in Sefton Many parishes are preparing Parish Plans; these could form the basis for preparing a Neighbourhood Plan We are aware that groups in Waterloo and Crosby are considering preparing a Neighbourhood Plan Bootle and Netherton have existing residents groups and have a good track record of involvement in planning [e.g. regeneration programmes] Whilst some communities may not feel comfortable planning for growth, there may be issues such as traffic, development in local centres, or the need for new facilities where a local input would influence the preparation of the Local Plan

Resources Neighbourhood Plans will be expensive to prepare. CLG estimates suggest they could cost £17k - £63k, depending on their complexity and the extent of the area covered. The majority of the cost is borne by the community. CLG says developers and landowners can provide funding. The Council is responsible for advertising the intention to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan, and for the referendum. Neighbourhood Planning could take up a lot of officer time, particularly if a number of plans are submitted

The Planning Authority’s Role The Planning Authority is legally required to support Neighbourhood Plans – we will complement local know-how and enthusiasm We provide what evidence we have – good practice suggests we should provide templates and fact sheets for each area We check it is in line with the emerging Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework We will provide an approach to consultation that communities can pick and choose from We organise the examination of the Neighbourhood Plan We coordinate + pay for the referendum to approve the Plan The Council adopts the Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Development Plan for planning purposes.

Further Information The Council should be the first point of contact Other information can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government website Planning Advisory Service - Planning Aid may also be available to provide free advice