Agenda item

Neighbourhood Planning

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered a report on the introduction through the Localism Act 2011 of Neighbourhood Development Plans and Neighbourhood Development Orders. In addition the report referred to the first two applications received for designation as a Neighbourhood Area and considered how these applications together with any subsequent applications should be administered.

There was consideration of the implications of Neighbourhood Planning including the staged process which Parish Councils or Neighbourhood Forums (where there was no Parish Council) would need to go through in order to develop a Neighbourhood Plan. This was likely to be a fairly costly process and whilst there was some Government funding available, this appeared to be focussed on covering some of the District Council’s costs in terms of officer support for the process. The process for developing a Neighbourhood Development Order was similar.

It was noted that if a Neighbourhood Plan was successfully prepared and agreed by the community in a referendum it would become part of the Development Plan for that area and would be used in the determination of planning applications. A Neighbourhood Development Order could grant planning permission for certain types of development without the need to submit a planning application to the Council.

Members were concerned that it was difficult to estimate the District Council’s costs in respect of the process particularly in terms of officer time. It was suggested that Cabinet consider an update report about this aspect in 6 months time.

It was reported that the first stage in the Neighbourhood Planning process was an application for designation as a Neighbourhood Area and that applications had been received in respect of this from Alvechurch Parish Council and Barnt Green Parish Council. It was intended in the future that the power to determine applications such as this would be delegated to officers in accordance with an agreed procedure rather than coming before Members for decision each time.

Following discussion it was

RECOMMENDED:

(a) that the following applications for designation as a Neighbourhood Area be publicised by the Council for a consultation period of 6 weeks in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012:

· Alvechurch Parish Council

· Barnt Green Parish Council

(b) that the following decisions (including determination and publication of applications) be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Ward Member(s) for the area affected and the Portfolio Holder for Planning:-

· decisions on whether to accept and designate a Neighbourhood Area;

· decisions on whether to designate a community organisation as a Neighbourhood Forum;

· decisions on the validity and acceptance of submissions for a Neighbourhood Development Plan or a Neighbourhood Development Order, including assessing the compliance of the Plan/Order with other relevant policies and legislation;

· decisions on whether to decline to accept repeat proposals for Neighbourhood Development Plans or Neighbourhood Development Orders; and

· the appointment of an Examiner for a Neighbourhood Development Plan or Order;

RESOLVED that the cost of implementing the process in respect of the first two applications be closely monitored and a report detailing the resource implications be submitted to Cabinet in six months time.

Supporting documents: