Longbridge Longbridge Area Action Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Longbridge Area Action Plan Consultation Statement Incorporating Regulation 28 Statement of Compliance Birmingham City Council and Bromsgrove District Council Local Development Frameworks January 2008 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background • Appendix 1 List of Organisations 1.2 Overall approach Consulted on issues and options • 2.0 Evidence gathering (Reg 25) Appendix 2 summary of priorities and issues emerging from the evidence 2.1 Introduction gathering stage 2.2 Preparation for consultation • Appendix 3- Summary of responses and 2.3 Consultation methods how responses were reflected in the 2.4 Outcomes for the AAP Issues and Options Consultation 3.0 Issues and Options consultation (Reg 25) Document • Appendix 4- list of organisations consulted 3.1 Introduction at Preferred options stage 3.2 Consultation methods • Appendix 5 Summary of Main comments 3.3 Outcomes for the AAP on Preferred Option and submission of 4.0 Preferred Option(s) consultation (Reg 26) AAP response 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Consultation methods 4.3 Outcomes for AAP (Reg 27) A separate Appendix is also available with 5.0 Pre-submission Consultation (Reg 28) further details of consultation methods and 5.1 Introduction responses. 5.2 Consultation methods • Appendix A: Baseline Telephone Survey Report • Appendix B Future 4 Longbridge Newsletter (edition 1) • Appendix C Newsletter Postcard Survey 1.1.2 The Longbridge AAP is an exciting opportunity Form to secure sustainable regeneration and create new • Appendix D: Future Forum Report (July jobs following the collapse of MG Rover in 2005. The 2006) site represents one of the largest regeneration • Appendix E Future 4 Longbridge Website • Appendix F Issues and Options "Community involvement is an essential Responses to Comments forms (also element in delivering sustainable development contains newsletter edition 2) and creating sustainable and safe communities." • Appendix G Longbridge Future Forum Report (Oct 2006) Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (Jan 2005 ) • Appendix H Newsletter (edition 3) • Appendix I: Longbridge Future Forum Report (Feb 2007) opportunities in England, and future of this site is of interest to local residents, former car workers and • Appendix J Preferred Options many other stakeholders over a wide area. The Representations form former MG Rover factory also straddles the • Appendix K: Newspaper Adverts • boundary between Bromsgrove District and Appendix L: Letters sent to consultees Birmingham City Council, and covers the areas of • Appendix M: Proposals Matters several Constituencies, Wards and Parish Councils. When they started work on the AAP in 2006 the Councils therefore wanted to ensure that the widest 1.0 INTRODUCTION possible consultation took place on the future of this important site. 1.1 Background 1.1.3 Independent consultants Vision Twentyone 1.1.1 A key driver in the preparation of an Area with expertise in public consultation were appointed Action Plans (AAP’s), such as the Longbridge AAP is by the Council’s in March 2006 to undertake an the involvement of communities throughout the extensive programme of consultation on the process. Longbridge AAP. The aim was to give the local community plenty of opportunity to be involved throughout the planning process; from the development of initial ideas and options, right Vision Twentyone through to the detail of the final Area Action Plan 1.1.4 The consultation sought to go beyond “Vision Twentyone is an award winning company, specialising in prescribed consultation requirements set out in the innovative and cost-effective social research, consultation, and Bromsgrove and Birmingham Statements of involvement and communications projects. Community Involvement and in the Regulations.1.1.5 This Statement of Consultation describes the Vision Twentyone’s ethos is grounded in effective community engagement, stakeholder relations and facilitating neighbourhood renewal. consultation undertaken at each stage in the They have a proven track record of engaging the “hard to reach.” Vision preparation of the AAP and provides a means by Twentyone prides itself on offering a bespoke programme for each which those organisations and individuals who individual client, but always designing their approach using the benefits of submitted comments on the Longbridge AAP can experience. They use a broad selection of innovative consultation see how they have been taken into account and methods, ranging from representative telephone interviewing and street surveys which can provide a snapshot or baseline of opinion, to used to inform the various stages of the AAP. In deliberative groups and people’s panels which develop ideas and concepts addition this document will be of benefit to those in more detail. organisations and individuals who did not submit comments, but who are interested in the consultation Vision Twentyone has pioneered the use of citizen’s juries and people’s process. panels, and has been awarded the Duke of Westminster award for “Most Innovative Company in the North West” , as well as winning one of our clients a Guardian/IPPR “Public Involvement Award” in 2000. In 2004, one of our consultation projects was also shortlisted for the British Urban Regeneration Awards .” Quote provided by Vision Twentyone Legal context 1.2 Overall approach This statement has been prepared in the context of the Birmingham draft Statement of 1.2.1 The size of the regeneration opportunity and Community Involvement, the adopted the level of interest in the future of the site required a Bromsgrove Statement of Community unique approach to public consultation that was Involvement and other relevant documents. tailored to the specific local area and communities. This statement sets out how the Councils have 1.2.3 Vision Twentyone based the consultation on undertaken consultation under the the following principles: requirements of Regulations 25 and 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local • Community involvement over a wide area – Development) (England) Regulations 2004. It the consultation methods and process also sets out how the comments received have recognised the wide interest in the future of been taken into account as required by the former MG Rover site. A variety of Regulation 27. techniques were used to capture people’s views over a wide area. For example the This document has been prepared to meet the telephone survey picked up people over the requirement of Regulation 28 (1) (c) and (d) of three adjoining wards. All residents and the Town and Country Planning (Local businesses within 1 km of the site (around Development) (England) Regulations 2004 23,000 in total) were sent newsletters. Around 500 interest groups and voluntary organisations, schools, religious groups in the wider South Birmingham and Bromsgrove areas were sent personal letters and newsletters. In addition material about the Plan was made widely available in the local contact with time to respond to questions press and in libraries and other local venues. and discuss issues with local people. - The consultants were highly experienced • Variety of techniques – a variety of in communicating with communities techniques was used to gain views from as - Finally, and perhaps most importantly, wide an audience as possible. The methods people felt that their views would be taken used included newsletters and letters, seriously. exhibitions, workshops for young people and telephone surveys. One element that was • Inclusiveness – the type and range of particularly successful was the Future Forum. methods used sought to gain views from This was a deliberate process drawn from the people who wouldn’t otherwise get involved. concept of citizen’s juries to provide the For example opportunity for in depth debate. This provided - The telephone survey- this enabled views an effective sounding board for public opinion to be obtained from people across a wide and was used throughout the consultation area including those who wouldn’t process. normally attend exhibitions and meetings. - The Future Forum was made up of a cross • Independent expertise – the use of representative sample of people including consultants who are expert in the field of young, ethnic minority and elderly. consultation and who were independent from - The Youth Focus Group and Schools both councils had a number of advantages: Youth Forum were focussed on obtaining - It helped overcome some public concerns views from young people. that the Area Action Plan was being driven by Birmingham and the resulting • Frontloading – the consultation sought to development would only meet involve the community and organisations Birmingham’s needs. widely in the early stages of the AAP process. - A high level of staff resources and time At the evidence gathering stage a variety of could be devoted to the consultation techniques were used to obtain information on activities. This enabled a lot of face-to-face the issues that people wanted to be addressed in the plan and their priorities for the site. At the issues and options stage wide process of consultation – they did so in their participation and measures to encourage numbers. responses were employed. • Continuous involvement and feedback – the methods used have sought to continually inform and involve people, for example, the local community have been sent several editions of the newsletter. In addition each edition of the newsletter gives information on the outcomes of previous consultation stages. The Future Forum has met at each stage of the process. Vision