Inner North West Area Committee

Neighbourhood Planning Community Meeting

Tuesday 16th April 2013

Inner North West Leeds

• Area Committee • Planning Sub

Group• Area Management

Team and Community Planner

• City Development

Community Capacity• Over 40 well

established community groups

• Local Action Groups

• Third Sector• Students and

Universities• Business

Issues Identified

• Housing Mix• Economy and Business• Community Infrastructure• Built Environment• Greenspace and Leisure• Conservation and Heritage• Transport and Parking• New development

How can planning intervene?

• A plan-led system• Shaping new development• Protecting the historic, natural

and built environment• Enforcement• Working with local

communities

Work undertaken so far

• Neighbourhood Design Statements

• Aspirational Documents and Action Plans

• Other Initiatives

What is a neighbourhood plan?

A neighbourhood plan is a COMMUNITY PREPARED development plan (although it can cover non-development issues) that, once adopted, will be part of the statutory Local Plan for the city.

It is a statutory development plan that is prepared by the local community (a Neighbourhood Forum) for a specified area (a Neighbourhood Area). This is a new right that local communities have, introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

A Neighbourhood Plan could:• Decide where new development takes place• Decide what new development should look like• Include (in theory) any issue that is important

for the sustainability of the neighbourhood• The plan can be detailed or general, depending

what local people want

A Neighbourhood Plan must:• Conform with local and national planning policy• Promote the economic, social and

environmental well-being of the neighbourhood• Not conflict with equality and human rights

legislation• Be subject to Independent Examination• Achieve more than 50% YES vote at

Referendum

5 steps to an adopted neighbourhood plan in a non-

parished area…1. Designation of Neighbourhood Area

2. Designation of Neighbourhood Forum

3. Preparation of Neighbourhood Plan

4. Examination

5. Referendum

1. Designation of Neighbourhood Area

A Neighbourhood Area boundary must:

• Follow physical features on the ground (roads, railway lines etc)

• Be appropriate, logical and consistent

• Make sense to local people (think referendum…)

• Be supported and designated by the Council

2. Designation of a Neighbourhood Forum

A Neighbourhood Forum must:

• Be made up of at least 21 people who live, work and carry out business in the neighbourhood area

• Have a membership that is open to all• Promote the economic, environmental and

social sustainability of the neighbourhood area

• Be supported and designated by the Council

3. Preparation of Neighbourhood Plan 4. Examination 5. Referendum

Issues for Inner North West Neighbourhoods

• Is a Neighbourhood Plan right for you?

• Is there the local interest?

• What would you want a Neighbourhood Plan to do?

Lessons learned so far in Leeds…

1. Work closely with the Council on the boundary and membership of the forum early on

2. Set up a steering group/task groups

3. Agree a draft Vision before starting work on the plan

4. ‘Take stock’ workshop

5. Don’t copy what others have done

6. Make particular effort to involve local Councillors, business, young people and tenants

7. Provide evidence and consider options from the start

8. Do a local skills audit9. Consider sponsorship and

fundraising10.Be positive!

Over to you…

1. Do you want a Neighbourhood Plan?

2. Is there one area (or more?) that could pilot a neighbourhood plan in Inner North West?

3. Are there local volunteers for a steering group?