Local planning – residents are the key | CLICK HERE to see Ascot High Street Plans
The planning system is changing and the Royal Borough is putting residents in control – work on neighbourhood plans is starting across the borough and residents are invited to get involved in their area.
Another practical example of the Big Society in action, the move – which follows government proposals to increase local communities’ involvement with planning – was approved by cabinet on July 28th.
Neighbourhood plans are designed to give local people a real voice in deciding the look and feel of development in their area, from determining the location of shops, offices and schools to setting standards of design for new housing.
Already the council has secured £20,000 from the government for each of two front-running neighbourhood plan projects – in Bray and in Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale, which are forging ahead to show the country how it’s done.
In Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale the steering group, led by members of the community, plans to hold a launch event in September. They will be looking to gain local views and get the wider community involved in the plan. In order to take part residents should email ‘Yes!’ and their postcode to ascotandthesunnings@yahoo.com or visit www.ascotandthesunnings.wordpress.com for more details.
Cllr Christine Bateson, Cabinet Member for Planning and Partnerships, said: “The borough is fulfilling its pledge to support neighbourhood planning in this new system, giving residents a real say and responsibility for managing change.
“The council’s planning policy officers are guiding neighbourhoods though the process, in true collaborative fashion. It is hoped these plans will shape development in the borough to deliver the things our communities want in a sustainable way.”
Chris Graham, chairman of the Bray Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, added: “Leading from the front is exciting and gives you control but it is not always the easiest place to be when the way forward is not yet clear!
“We, the residents, will decide how we want our neighbourhood to look in the years ahead. To achieve this we have a steering group in place drawn from across the parish and we are about to start our first consultation on the content of the plan.”
“The parish of Bray is one of 17 in the first wave of parishes and town councils across the country which have each won a £20,000 grant to create a new generation of neighbourhood plans.
The Hurley and Walthams area had an introduction workshop in February and are currently considering their way forward, and in Datchet, Horton, Old Windsor and Wraysbury an opening workshop was held in June. A further meeting is likely to be held in September to set up a steering group and drive the plan forward.
A total of seven neighbourhood plans are currently proposed covering the towns and groups of parish and town councils with similar characteristics, all with the ambition of achieving full community participation and to achieve adoption in 2013.
For more information about what is happening throughout the borough and how to get involved, visit www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/pp_neighbourhood_plans.htm or contact the planning policy team on 01628 796115.