Local development frameworks - a chance to make a difference

I notice that our local authority is consulting on a core part of the "local development framework". Once signed-off this will become the blueprint for practically everything the local authority does for the next 10 years or more - houses, roads, the environment, refuse collection etc etc. Having glanced at a few other local authority websites it seems to be part of a national process.

The documentation can seem a bit daunting, but I reckon this is a big opportunity to shape what is happening - in a way that voting in your local elections will never do. The challenges in your area may be different to mine, but "sustainable development" often takes second place to "development". If you can spare the time to plant a few rows of lettuces, maybe you can spare the time to check out your local authority's website and just make sure that they are not compromising sustainable development in your area. It's a chance that won't come round again in a hurry.

Bernie66

Cheers.
Any links to your framework?

orangepippin

I think you have to look at the relevant section on your own local authority website, however for the East Riding it is:

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/planning/ldf/

Behemoth

Thanks - some more ifo about them here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115311947782.html

Rob R

Re: Local development frameworks - a chance to make a differ

orangepippin wrote:

It's a chance that won't come round again in a hurry.

That's the worrying bit, isn't it? How inflexible these things are over time, if you're not on the framework, you're not coming in. Sad

Behemoth

Partly due to our insistence on consultation, review, scrutiny and approval processes. It will take ten years for some projects to actually start. The Chinese have built, had, and bulldozed olympic parks in the same time.

MarkS

We are at the inspection of core strategy stage.

If anyone wants to see the huge amount of paperwork generated have a look at

http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/ldf

The prime issue (from the inspectors comments) is actually the ability to build the requisit number of houses in the time frame.

orangepippin

I agree the paperwork and bureaucracy are overwhelming as a lay person. However I honestly believe that getting involved in the LDF is more important than voting, in terms of the impact it will have on the local area over the long-term.

James

LDF's are very powerfull documents. If you can get your idea across at an early stage, and they accept it & put it into the LDF, it effectively becomes part of local planning policy (which can't easily be overturned).

If you dont mention something upfront during the LDF consultation, it becomes much more difficult to object to a planning application later on. The argument goes that if it is so unthinkable that this development should take place, you should have made this known in the development framework.

If your comment is included in the LDF and an application comes in which runs in the face of this, then an objection is almost guaranteed to succeed.

I have an ongoing battle with local authorities to take contaminated land (brownfield regeneration) serriously. Some are worse than others at embracing the new legislation (no local authorities named here, MarkS...), but the LDF's are a very usefull tool that local authorities understand.

Local authorities do (sometimes...) forget what they've said in their own LDF's and allow an application to be validated that runs against what the LDF requires. Thats why you cant just lie back and think your jobs done following the acceptance of your comments. An objection based on the contents of the LDF cant really be argued with.

Having said all this, only really sensible comments and suggestions make it through. not stuff like "dont put a new housing estate in our valley".

The EA tries to substantiate all their LDF comments against legislation. That way, its tricky for the local authorities to not accept them.

MarkS

Im slightly worried about the process and validation though.

An extremely valid objection (data and stats error in original document) has been ignored.

Also the comments from the independent inspector imply that the main purpose of the inspection is not to give sensible validation of the framework, but to be sure that the projected building volumes are able to be erected in the timeframe.

orangepippin

There is quite a bit to be worried about in the LDF process. Central government is totally fixated on house building and is putting heavy pressure on local authorities to just get on with it, and ignore sustainability and other factors if necessary. Is the inspector really "independent" or in reality a government enforcer? I'm not sure why local authorities simply don't just say "no" if they feel central government plans are unrealistic ... I hope to find out a bit more later this week.

James

Talking about central governmnet putting the thumb-screws on local councils....
I've just seen the locations of the eco-towns near you, orangepippin.... Shocked

orangepippin

One of the quangos advising the housing minister (Flint) is quoted in the Yorkshire Post as saying:

"She cannot cut out those processes that come from the (European Union). What she can cut out, and has said she wants to cut out are all the preliminary policy frameworks, at local and regional level, which can take seven to 10 years."

This is one of the reasons why I think belonging to the EU is a good thing - it stops our own government screwing things up!

Gervase

I've been contacted to put some input on the built environment )and that horrible word 'heritage') into local development plan, and am off to a seminar with Ceredigion planners tomorrow afternoon. Whether or not anyone will actually listen is another matter...

James

if you've been invited, and you've got something sensible to say, then chances are they will listen.
best of luck.

orangepippin

The East Riding Council intends to increase its population by 25% in 20 years. The LDF is a bit coy about how it intends to achieve this growth, but immigration is mentioned.

It also places "sustainable development" as one of its headline objectives.

I've not got to the bit of the LDF that explains how these 2 apparently contradictory visions will be achieved, but I am sure it will be interesting reading.

gnome

sorry to sound cynical - but in my experience, when a local council invites a member of the public to sit in on a committee meeting or make some input, it is not because they are willing to listen and take on board what you have to say, but because they have a committment to public consultation which they have to at least pay lip service to. they usually go ahead and do completely the opposite of what you asked.

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