St. Anne's Neighbourhood Development Plan Report Of
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St. Anne’s Neighbourhood Development Plan Report of Consultation January 2016 Contents Page 1.0 Introduction 1 Application for Neighbourhood Designation (April-June 2013) 1 Key Stakeholder Meetings (February 2014) 1 2.0 Aims and Issues (April/May 2014) 2 Questionnaire Outcomes 2 Public Events 3 Theme Groups 3 Formal Representations 4 Other Meetings 4 Lessons learned and feedback 4 3.0 Pre-Submission Plan (June/July 2015) 6 Responses to consultation 6 Written representations 6 Questionnaire 7 Policies Maps 8 Design Guide and Companion 8 Lessons Learned from Stage 2 8 Key Issues for the next stage of the NDP 9 Appendices Appendix 1: Initial Consultation on Aims and Issues (14/4/14 – 28/5/14) A1:1 – A1:30 Formal Representations (Stage 1) and Town Council A2:1 – A2:9 Appendix 2: Response and Audit/Checklist for Stage 1 Consultation on Aims and Issues Appendix 3: Summary of Key Issues Raised up to end of Stage 1 A3:1 – A3:16 Formal Representations (Stage 2) and the Town Council A4:1 – A4:57 Appendix 4: response including list of consultees Appendix 5: Outcomes from workshops with Fylde Council (draft NDP) A5:1 – A5:15 Appendix 6: Stage 2 Questionnaire – key outcomes and findings A6:1 – A6:4 Appendix 7: Policies Maps – schedule of required changes A7:1 – A7:9 Appendix 8: Design Guide and Compendium – schedule of comments A8:1 – A8:8 received and resultant amendments Appendix 9: Policy Revisions – schedule of amendments made following A9:1 – A9:29 Stage 2 consultation 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This document describes the various stages of consultation and community engagement undertaken in preparing the St. Anne’s Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). It should be read in conjunction with the ‘St. Anne’s NDP Consultation Strategy’ which sets out the overall approach to community engagement and stakeholder consultation. 1.2 The key dates and events that have taken place with regard to the development of the NDP are as follows: April-June 2013: Neighbourhood Area Designation February 2014: Key Stakeholder Meetings April/May 2014: Consultation on Aims and Issues June/July 2015: Consultation on the Pre-Submission Plan 1.3 The designation process, principally undertaken by Fylde Council and the subsequent stakeholder meetings in February 2014 are summarised below in this introduction. This report concentrates on the outcomes from both the early consultation on the aims and issues (April/May2014) and the Draft Plan (June/July 2015) and the subsequent amendments. Application for Neighbourhood Designation (April - June 2013) 1.3 30 organisations were consulted by Fylde Council with regard to the application. Representations were received from 7, however, no objections were forthcoming, the only key issue relating to the need to involve Blackpool Airport representatives. The report can be found in full on the Council’s website: click here Key Stakeholder Meetings (February 2014) 1.4 A series of meetings and discussions took place in February 2014 with the following key local stakeholders before the “launch” of the NDP: Fylde Council; Blackpool Council; Blackpool International Airport and Lytham St. Anne’s Civic Trust. 1.5 The purpose of the meetings was to brief stakeholders of the town council’s intended programme for preparing the NDP, outline its potential scope, agree appropriate contact details and where required request evidence sources. 1.6 Key contacts were made and confirmed and the overall response to the production of an NDP for St. Anne’s was positive. Database and contact information was shared where possible. 1 2.0 Aims and Issues (April/May 2014) 2.1 The town council wished to engage the local community at an early stage in the plan making process and undertook a comprehensive consultation exercise held between 14th April and 28th May 2014. The purposes of which were to: “launch” the NDP process; increase public awareness about the importance of the plan; outline what it could and couldn’t do; seek views on the initial draft aims of the NDP and the issues to be addressed in it. 2.2 The consultation exercise involved the following elements: establishment of a specific web page on the town council’s website with links to an online questionnaire; an article in the town council newsletter delivered between 7th and 13th April 2014; an email to statutory and non-statutory consultees advising of the commencement of the NDP, and requesting comments on the draft aims and potential issues; a series of public events and ‘theme group’ meetings; static exhibitions at the town council office, and the Lytham library; a local press release; and a secondary school photo competition to raise the profile of the NDP and encourage youth participation. Questionnaire Outcomes 2.3 The questionnaire was designed to encourage a meaningful response on some of the likely key issues, but without ‘leading’ responses or outcomes. It was made available both online and by hard copy. To aid analysis those received by hard copy were entered onto the online database. 2.4 In total some 307 questionnaires were completed and the full results, taken from the survey software, are set out in Appendix 1. A summary of the key findings from the questionnaire are set out below: 75% of the respondents lived in the NDP area 5% of the respondents were local business owners 75% of the respondents had been associated with St. Anne’s for 10 years or more. Over 60% of respondents were over 50 years of age. 8% of respondents did not agree with the aims 44% of respondents said that they supported the aims but didn’t want to ruin the area 44% supported the aims and wanted more facilities 26% supported the aims and wanted more housing 2.5 With regard to what aims should be included in the NDP a number of strong concerns and issues emerged as follows: 2 there is a requirement for more facilities for young people no demand for additional housing existing vacant buildings to be used if more housing is needed it should be affordable for young people no new housing without adequate infrastructure too many charity shops in the town centre protect green spaces sustainable design and use of existing and future water and wastewater infrastructure energy efficiency 2.6 In terms of the future of St. Anne’s and in what ways the town can continue to be sustainable, the following scored highly: employment; better community and leisure facilities; better transport links and affordable housing. Other suggestions included: better youth facilities; parking issues and enforcement; better bus and train links; and better shops. 2.7 With regard to the potential location for new houses the majority of respondents (50%) preferred a mix of locations, both on the edge and within the existing town. In terms of type of housing there was a higher level of support for small affordable houses for sale and rent, and for medium to large family houses for sale. Public Events 2.8 The town council arranged 6 walk-in events between 25th April and 24th May 2014. Local people were invited to complete the questionnaire either via hard copy at the event or online. They were also asked to identify site specific issues by means of placing yellow stickers on large format plans. A summary of the key issues raised during the events is set out below: housing school capacity – more needed infrastructure trains - timing energy generation e.g. fracking dementia friendliness of future homes parks maintenance & standard improve roads poor appearance of the former Pontins site no fracking Theme Groups 2.9 In order to ensure that a wide range of views from key local stakeholders informed the development of the NDP a number of ‘topic groups’ were established as follows: environment (including climate change, open space and flooding); housing; transport and movement; economy; community and health; and design and heritage. 3 2.10 The role of these topic groups was to highlight any existing issues and to understand the role of existing plans, strategies and programmes and their relationships to the neighbourhood planning process and discuss how best to deal with them ie through either: NDP policy; inclusion in the implementation plan; via a Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) or Community Right to Build Order (CRTBO); or through other means e.g. through the Fylde Local Plan. Formal Representations 2.11 In addition to the above a number of written representations were received (8 in total) and these are shown in full in Appendix 2 together with the town council’s response. Appendix 2 also sets out the full list consultees from Stage 1 (excluding names and addresses of local residents). Other Meetings 2.12 The town clerk gave a short presentation to the St. Anne’s Chamber of Trade on 8th May 2014. Envision (consultants acting on behalf of the town council) met with representatives of Fylde Council on 12th May 2014 to discuss the progress of the NDP and the emerging key issues. Key outcomes from the meetings were as follows: There is no clear timescale for the construction of the M55 to Heyhouses link road The s106 agreement made in respect to the Queensway development which funds the M55 to Heyhouses link road contains a clawback arrangement in respect of other subsequent developments benefiting from the road The proposed open space provision at Queensway may benefit from policy protection through the NDP pending the new local plan being adopted. Fylde Council are considering the merits of a borough-wide general house design guide There is need for new secondary school provision in St. Anne’s Fylde Council may review the need for continued holiday accommodation policies and the boundary of the town centre as part of the emerging local plan 2.13 The NDP and arrangements for the 1st stage consultation were discussed at two meetings of the town council, attended by members of the public on 8th April and 20th May 2014.