Claire Milne Windsor Neighbourhood Plan Co-chair

Writing policies for the Windsor Neighbourhood

PlanFeedback from a recent workshop or two

Claire MilneWindsor Neighbourhood Plan

Co-chair

Recent WNP activities

Our priority outcome at this stage was to create the Vision, objectives and likely policy approaches for our area of Windsor.

Understanding the process - Planning Aid workshops: Writing an NP Policy & Strategic Environmental Appraisal, Character Assessment workshop, Vision workshop.

How to structure the analysis. We have learned lots! This is some of it....

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Evidence gathering

Community engagement

Research and fact finding

Identify issues and

options

Create vision

Objective Objective Objective

Policies and proposals


Reasoned justification




Source: Planning Aid

What the examiners are saying:

“During the Hearing, Thame Town Council emphasised that the vision and objectives reflected the views of the community, derived from the consultation process. I note that there is a clear link between the objectives and the policies and that this is carried through the whole of the plan”Nigel McGurk – Thame Examination Report Source :Planning Aid

Understanding the Strategic Policy Context• National Planning Policy Framework

Adopted Local Plan◦ 1. The RBWM adopted Local Plan 2003 - saved policies only. Not all of these are strategic or relevant to our NP.

Emerging Local Plan◦ BLP Preferred options 1st Consultation Jan 2014/2nd

Consultation expected in early 2015◦ Site Specific Allocations – options consultation Jan 2014 and

any changes in the 2nd consultation

Adapted from Planning Aid Source

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2012 to 2014 WENP,CWNP & WNP surveys Including post it surveys, launches, vision

day & CWNP/WNP Survey monkey survey Including our own consultation on the

Borough Local Plan Preferred options sites Ad hoc business community and other

community group comments

Towards a Vision.... Community Consultation

Main issues for the WNP area of Windsor: Parking Traffic congestion Historic buildings & preservation of character

and heritage Appearance and architecture of the town Access to and facilities of open spaces Helping small/start up business Loss of employment sites Loss of types of shops Cycling routes and facilities

Towards a Vision.....What the community told us.

Strengthen protection for remaining and important heritage buildings

Encourage new development to have regard to nature and character

Improve the visual impression of the town through improved quality of architecture and views

Improve & maintain amenities and community facilities for resident

Create a heart for West Windsor

Seek ways to reduce congestion

Seek ways to improve parking availability

Improve open spaces facilities and accessibility

Encourage diversity of retail businesses within the suburbs

Seek ways to encourage small and start up businesses

And lots more!

Towards a Vision-aims/objectives

Towards a Vision-A structured SWOT analysis.

Area SWOT analysis Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats

analysis of different areas of Windsor This process illuminates issues, likely threats,

weaknesses or different areas of Windsor. Thereby helps to think about likely NP

objectives and opportunities for NP policies and possible sites for development not in the adopted Local Plan or emerging BLP.

SWOT extract handout Summary SWOT will capture all of the issues

Towards a Vision-writing policies Need to understand what is possible in

terms of planning policy Many things identified are outside the scope

of NPs. (e.g. some Transport issues) It may be possible to initiate projects in

conjunction with other stakeholders Looked at examples from other NPs (Ascot,

Thame, Norland, Arundel, Woodcote etc) Lots of helpful templates from Planning Aid See “Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy”

Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy example

What is the comment from the community engagement, weakness or opportunity/ what is the real issue?

Can it be addressed by

Is there an existing planning policy relevant to this issue?

Policy wording Justification/Evidence

Planning policy

Other

Comment: Too many coffee shops, betting shops, fast food outlets/loss of banksIssue: Loss of balance between types of retail provision/loss of essential shops and community facilitiesObjective: To retain a balance of retail uses of retail premises and neighbourhood shopping amenities

a) Business & retail Use classes are relevant here.May be able to use Article 4 powers to modify permitted development rights change of use.

b) Can create an “Assets of Community Value list” in the NP.

Adopted Local Plan policiesS7-Local shopping paradesS8-Corner shops village storesS5-Major retail developments should be in the town centre. Emerging BLP policies RET4Support community shopsRequire appropriate marketing evidence for change of use from shops to other uses.

The change of use of premises used for A1 purposes to A2, A3, A4, A5 uses will be supported provided that the change of use would not result in significant harmful impacts on the amenities of neighbouring residents” b) The NP will nominate “Assets of Community Value”.

The existing numbers of particular use classes in the specific area–e.g. We have counted the number of shop fronts of different types/use classes along Dedworth Road (A1, A2, A3 etc ) to get data to use as evidence for future proposed changes.


What is the comment from community engagement/what is the real Issue?



Policy wording Justification & Evidence

Planning policy

Other?

Comment “Stop knocking down old buildings”

Issue: Loss of heritage buildings that define the sense of place

Objective: preserve the authentic character of the streets/concerns about design.

Yes. Conservation Appraisal has local list but this is not extensive and misses many buildings considered important by local people.

Yes. but existing policies don’t cover buildings not in conservation areas or of national listing quality. But we can add to the local list of non-listed heritage buildings, and put conservation policy in our NP to give it more legal weight.Townscape assessments relevant.

“The NP will develop a local list of non-listed heritage buildings”.“Development affecting heritage assets must pay special regard to the need to conserve and enhance their setting and any special architectural or historic features of significance” (Exeter St James).

Conservation Area Appraisal.List of significant buildings lost over the last 10 years. Photos. Criteria for local listing.Townscape assessments


What is the comment from community engagement/what is the real Issue?



Policy wording Justification & Evidence

Planning policy

Other?

Comments:Decrease road congestion Issue: Increasing volume of North South through traffic, peak Legoland traffic, town centre traffic. Objective: Consider ways to improve road congestion

Not directly, maybe indirectly.

RBWM strategic & spatial planning e.g. Park and Ride, new roads, new bus or rail facilities.

Major employment developments are strategic and covered in the adopted Local Plan and emerging BLP.

WNP can work on projects with other stakeholders to deal with these issues, and find indirect ways to alleviate them.

Project –better highways management“To work with RBWM highways management department and any other interested stakeholders to find ways of improving traffic congestion and parking availability in our area” (Ascot NP)

Traffic statistics, traffic impact assessments.

Transport working group set up.

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Evidence gathering

Community engagement

Research and fact finding

Identify issues and

options

Create vision

Objective Objective Objective







SWOTs

Area Character assessments

Other NPs for examples

To go to all households and businesses in our area.

Have we got the vision, objectives and policy approaches right?

Do we need to change them? Gives us chance to revisit our Vision,

objectives and refine our policy approaches and wording before we finalise the Draft Plan.

Towards a vision - Vision Consultation

Thank you

Documents

Claire Milne Windsor Neighbourhood Plan Co-chair