Issue - decisions

Neighbourhood Planning - Area and Forum Designations

09/07/2012 - Neighbourhood Planning - Area and Forum Designations

A report by the Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning informed the Cabinet that Wirral had four Neighbourhood Forums funded by Government as part of the Neighbourhood Planning Frontrunner project.  These were at various stages of plan preparation, although none had yet submitted a Neighbourhood Plan formally to the local planning authority, or independent examination, or referendum.

 

Following the commencement of provisions in the Localism Act 2011, the Government had now issued Neighbourhood Planning Regulations and had amended the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to make Neighbourhood Plan preparation a statutory process.  If adopted by the local planning authority, the resulting plans would then become part of the Council’s development plan, alongside the Unitary Development Plan, Regional Strategy and emerging Core Strategy.

 

As a result of the change in status of the Neighbourhood Plans, the Regulations required that the area designations and the Neighbourhood Forum constitutions should be agreed by the Council and be subject to public consultation in the neighbourhood area.

 

The report set out the background to this issue and the stages reached by each of Wirral’s former Neighbourhood Planning Frontrunners.  Officers had assisted each of the Neighbourhood Forums to prepare their plans in accordance with the previous development plan regulations and the stages now proposed closely follow the new procedures, although now with statutory effect.

 

The report sought approval to the area boundaries of the four Wirral Neighbourhood Planning areas and that the constitutions of the four Neighbourhood Forums comply with the requirements of sections 61F and 61G of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

Approval was further sought for the area boundaries and constitutions of the four Neighbourhood Forums to be issued for a six week period of public consultation. After that, officers would report back to a future Cabinet on the results of the consultation, with a view to designating (or refusing to designate) the Neighbourhood Forums and area boundaries.

 

The Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning indicated that the constitutions for Hoylake Village Life and Greasby Community Association would follow, once Officers has clarified the compliance of the two groups’ constitutions with national legislation.

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)  the Neighbourhood Forum area boundaries and constitutions for Devonshire Park and Central Liscard Area Residents Association be agreed for the purposes of public consultation;

 

(2)  the neighbourhood Forum area boundaries and consultations for Devonshire Park and Central Liscard  Area Residents Association be consulted upon for a period of six weeks and that officers report back to a future meeting of the Cabinet on the results of that public consultation, with a view to designating (or refusing designation) the Neighbourhood Forums and area boundaries; and

 

(3)  Officers report back to a future Cabinet meeting on the area boundaries and constitutions of the proposed Neighbourhood Forums of Hoylake and Greasby.