Local Plan Consultation Statement
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Local Plan Consultation Statement (Regulation 22) March 2018 1 Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 2 Who we consulted ........................................................................................................................ 4 3 How we consulted ........................................................................................................................ 5 4 How we responded ...................................................................................................................... 9 Appendices ............................................................................................................................. 10 Appendix A – Regulation 18 List of People and Organisations consulted ................................ 11 Appendix B – Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan - respondents ...................................................... 19 Appendix C – Amendments following the Regulation 18 Consultation ...................................... 22 Appendix D – Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan Respondents ................................... 28 Appendix E – Copies of Publicity Materials.................................................................................... 30 Appendix F – Regulation 19 Official Statements ........................................................................... 36 Appendix G – Summary of the issues raised (Regulation 19 stage) ......................................... 38 2 1. Introduction 1.1 This Consultation Statement describes the processes followed by Broxbourne Council in undertaking community participation and stakeholder involvement in the production of the Broxbourne Local Plan and sets out how the main issues raised through consultation have helped shape the Plan. 1.2 The Consultation Statement has been prepared to comply with the requirements of Regulations 18, 19 and 22 (1) part (c) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (referred to throughout this Consultation Statement as ‘the Regulations’). The Consultation Statement will assist the Inspector at the Examination in Public to determine whether the processes that the Council followed leading to the Submission of the Local Plan comply with government guidance and requirements for public participation. 1.3 In detailing what the requirements for the ‘Submission of documents and information to the Secretary of State’ are, Regulation 22 (1) part (c) directs the Council to prepare a statement which sets out: i. which bodies and persons were invited to make representations under Regulation 18 of the Local Planning Regulations; ii. how those bodies were invited to make representations; iii. a summary of the main issues raised in those representations; iv. how those main issues have been taken into account; v. if there are representations made under Regulation 20, the number made and a summary of the main issues raised in those representations; and vi. if there are no representations made under Regulation 20, that no such representations were made. 1.4 In carrying out its consultation processes, it should be noted that, in addition to complying with the Regulations, the Council has also complied with the provisions of its Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), May 2016. This document sets out the Council’s approach to public engagement in the planning system and how it seeks to involve the local community in Broxbourne. The SCI may viewed at: http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/sci. 3 2 Who we consulted (i) Bodies and Persons invited to make representations under Regulation 18 2.1 The Council has consulted extensively at each stage of the preparation of the Local Plan. This Consultation Statement is concerned with the approach taken at the Regulation 18 and 19 stages, i.e. Preferred Options and Pre- Submission consultations. 2.2 To aid the consultation process, the Council maintains a live consultee database, which is stored on the Objective system. The database is continuously updated at each consultation event and as and when notified of changes by consultees. 2.3 In addition to Specific and General Consultees (as identified under Part 1 of the ‘Regulations’), all consultees on the Objective database (i.e. those interested parties who had previously commented and/or expressed an interest in being notified) were contacted by means of email or letter, as appropriate. The Council’s Objective database currently consists of over 600 persons, bodies and groups. A list of named persons and bodies notified of the Regulation 18 draft Local Plan consultation is included at Appendix A. In addition to the list in Appendix A there are a number of consultees registered on the database who have provided a contact email but no name, and were notified of the consultation by email. 2.4 Additionally, an article and cover story about the consultation was featured in the summer edition of Broxbourne Life, the Council’s regular news magazine for residents (see Appendix E). The Council’s Communications Team arrange distribution of Broxbourne Life to households across the borough. 2.5 The Council has also carried out comprehensive ongoing formal and informal Duty to Co-operate discussions with various Councils, organisations and stakeholders, which has helped to inform the preparation of the plan. The separate Duty to Co-operate Statement shows how these requirements have been met in more detail. 4 3 How we consulted (ii) How those bodies and persons were invited to make representations Regulation 18 Consultation 3.1 The Draft Local Plan consultation (Regulation 18) was carried out between 18 July and 16 September 2016. All Specific, General and other consultees on the Objective database (i.e. those interested parties who had previously commented and/or expressed an interest in being notified) were contacted by means of email or letter, with relevant documents provided, as appropriate. Hard copies of the full suite of consultation documents were made available at the Council’s Offices, One-Stop Shops and libraries. Table 1: Consultation Action Plan agreed by Cabinet, 12 July 2016 Action Timings Team Details/format responsible Press Friday 8 or Comms to Information to be embargoed briefing Monday 11 July organise until close of Cabinet Meeting on 12 July Staff briefing July Comms to To be compulsory for all staff organise to attend; Three separate Planning to sessions for staff to choose present from Press Details of Local Comms 1. To encourage public releases Plan Events and attendance at the consultation events process – 12 July 2. To encourage people to take part in the consultation Canopy/letter From 19 July Comms Message: ‘Have your say on footer/frankin the Borough’s Local Plan’ g machine Letter to Immediately after Planning 1. To promote awareness stakeholders 12 July Cabinet of the consultation Meeting 2. To fulfil statutory requirements FAQ To be finalised by Planning To be sent to all members document 12 July and published on the Council’s website Public Events The Spotlight, Comms to Same format at each event: (all at 7pm) Hoddesdon, organise Introduction by the Leader; (Thursday 28 About Broxbourne video to be July); Leader, Portfolio shown prior to start of the Wolsey Hall, Holder and session as people arrive; Waltham Cross Planning to Presentation by Planning on (Thursday 25 represent the the consultation process and 5 August); Council on the key elements of the plan; Goffs Oak Village day Panel Q&A session – Hall (Wednesday 7 Councillors and planning September) The Leader to officers Chair the events Broxbourne To be distributed Comms Special ‘Local Plan’ edition. Life (Council to residents week Planning To include dates for Local Magazine) commencing 18 Plan Public Events. July Posters Have your say - Comms To be put up across the July/August Borough, in the Borough Offices and in the One Stop Shops Local Plan July edition Planning Distribution to all Broxbourne update Councillors and to planning e-newsletter policy contacts database. Mercury To be published on Comms Statutory notification of the advert 21 July Local Plan consultation period and availability of documents. Electronic Ongoing Comms Twitter campaign media E-communications to residents Homepage of the Council’s website 3.2 Hard copies of the full suite of consultation documents were made available at the Council’s Offices, the Laura Trott leisure centre and public libraries at Cheshunt, Goffs Oak, Hoddesdon, and Waltham Cross. Following press releases a number of articles were published in the local press discussing the consultation. 3.3 The Council’s Local Plan Update, which detailed the consultation as part of its contents, was distributed by email to all those parties who had registered an interest in receiving this communication through the consultation portal. 3.4 Copies of relevant forms and publicity material for the Preferred Options consultation (Regulation 18) are included at Appendix E. Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan 3.5 The Pre-Submission n (Regulation 19) was carried out for a 6 week period between 9 November and 5pm 21st December 2017, together with a simultaneous consultation on the draft Transport Strategy and the draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. All Specific, General and other consultees on the Objective database (i.e. those interested parties who had previously commented and/or expressed an interest in being notified) were contacted by means