London Borough of Hillingdon Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy October 2011 Consultation Statement - Regulation 30 (1) (e) 1 Consultation Statement - Regulation 30 (1) (e) Introduction 1.1 Hillingdon’s Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) has been prepared in accordance with our Statement of Community Involvement and the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. Consultation stages that were carried out before the 2008 Regulations are still relevant and are provided for by the “transitional arrangements” contained in the 2008 Regulations. 1.2 This document contains details of the representations received following publication of the Hillingdon’s ‘A Vision for 2026 Core Strategy Pre-Submission Consultation Draft February 2011’ Development Plan Document (DPD). 1.3 This document has been prepared in accordance with Regulation 30(1)(e) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and sets out: (a) Who the Council consulted on its ‘A Vision for 2026: Core Strategy Pre- Submission Consultation Draft February 2011’ DPD; (b) how they were consulted; (c) how many representations were made; and provides (d) a summary of the main issues raised in those representations Background 1.4 The drafting of the Core Strategy has taken into account relevant planning legislation, national planning policy statements; on-going advice from the Government Office for London and the Planning Inspectorate, and also from lessons learnt from professional planning bodies and agencies, in particular the Planning Advisory Service (PAS). In summary the Core Strategy has evolved from the following documents: 1.5 • Issues and Options (Spring 2005) • Preferred Options (Autumn 2005) • Revised Preferred Options (Spring 2007) • Consultation Draft (June 2010) • Pre-Submission Draft (February 2011) 1.6 Information on consultations undertaken and representations received at the earlier stages of the preparation of the Hillingdon’s LDF Core Strategy is included in a separate document prepared under the Regulation 30 (1)(d) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. Bodies invited to make representations 1.7 At the Council’s Cabinet meeting on 18 November 2010, Council Members agreed that the Core Strategy Pre-Submission Draft DPD be published for representations to be made about its soundness and legal compliance. The council specifically consulted with organisations, bodies and groups identified from its LDF Consultation Database (see Appendix 1) in order to gather their London Borough of Hillingdon 2 Consultation Statement - Regulation 30 (1) (e) views on the Pre-Submission Core Strategy February 2011. The consultees included specific consultation bodies and other statutory bodies, local amenity and residents groups, businesses and individual residents. In addition, the council consulted more widely through a variety of consultation techniques. How bodies were invited to make representations 1.8 Consultation was carried out in compliance with Regulation 27 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 as amended. Consultation was also carried out in compliance with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI, adopted November 2006), thus meeting Planning Inspectorate (PINS) procedural soundness test ii, which stipulates that a Development Plan Document (DPD) must be ‘prepared in compliance with the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), or with the minimum requirements set out in the regulations where no SCI exists’ . 1.9 The consultation was officially set for the six week period from 9 th February to 25 th March 2011. However, representations were accepted after this date and there were meetings with interest groups held outside of this period. The consultation documents included the ‘Pre-Submission Core Strategy (February 2011)’ and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal (February 2011) along with the ‘Statement of Representations Procedure’, ‘Final Equalities Impact Assessment’ and ‘Statement of Consultation (Regulation 27)’. 1.10 On 9th February 2011, statutory notices were placed in the Hillingdon Leader, London Gazette and all Hillingdon editions of the Gazette series (see Appendix 2) and a press release was issued. In addition, on 9th February 2011 a total of 3,123 letters were sent by post or email to all contacts in the LDF Consultation Database (see Appendix 1), including all appropriate general consultation bodies, which included a Statement of the Representations Procedure which gave guidance on how to make representations and where to view the documents, response form and explanatory notes. All specific (statutory) consultation bodies were sent a letter by post that included a CD Rom with copies of the Pre-Submission Core Strategy, Sustainability Appraisal report, Consultation Statement (Regulation 27), Statement of the Representations Procedure, response form and explanatory notes. In accordance with the council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) these documents could be made available on request in Braille, large copy print, audio cassette or in a number of different languages other than English (see paragraph 1.11 of the Pre-Submission Core Strategy). 1.11 Copies of the Pre-Submission Core Strategy, Sustainability Appraisal report, Consultation Statement (Regulation 27), Statement of the Representations Procedure, response form and explanatory notes were made available at the Planning Information Services Reception at Hillingdon Council’s Civic Centre and all the Council libraries and Hayes One-Stop-Shop during normal working hours (locations of distribution were set out in the ‘Introduction’ section (paragraph 1.8) of the Pre-Submission Core Strategy and on the Council’s website). 1.12 The consultation was also advertised on the Council’s Website from 9 th February at: http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=20585 . The above documents were also made available for viewing or download which also included an online response mechanism via the Limehouse consultation portal at http://hillingdon- London Borough of Hillingdon 3 Consultation Statement - Regulation 30 (1) (e) consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal . Comments could also be submitted by downloading and completing a ‘Representation Form’ with addresses provided for return by post, email or fax and the closing date. 1.13 Public exhibitions were held between 9 th February to 25 th March at the Uxbridge Library and Planning Information Services at the Council’s Civic Centre. Six drop- in sessions for the general public providing an opportunity to speak to council staff were held at various times and dates at libraries located in the north, south and central parts of the borough: o Ruislip Manor Library o Thursday 17 February – 6pm to 8pm o Saturday 5 March - 10am to 12 noon o Botwell Green Library o Saturday 26 February - 10am to 12 noon o Thursday 10 March - 6pm to 8pm o Uxbridge Library o Thursday 3 March - 6pm to 8pm o Saturday 12 March -10am to 12 noon 1.14 An article was placed in Hillingdon People in the January 2011 edition and an audio advertisement was placed in Hillingdon Talking Newspaper for the visually impaired. The consultation was also advertised on the Council’s Twitter page. 1.15 All elected members and local MPs were posted a letter explaining the consultation process and an invitation to a drop-in session, with a hard copy of the Pre-Submission Core Strategy delivered to the group offices, with additional hard copies delivered upon request. Two drop-in information sessions for Council Members were held at the Civic Centre during the evening on 16 th February and 1st March. 1.16 A number of local events and meetings were also attended by officers to raise awareness and encourage discussion about the Pre-Submission Core Strategy. These included the: • Youth Council (10 January) • West Drayton Town Partnership (12 January) • Hillingdon Motorists Forum (12 January) • Older Peoples Steering Group (12 January) • Cleaner Greener Group (25 January) • Hayes Town Partnership (7 February) • Local Strategic Partnership - Executive Meeting (8 February) • Hillingdon Force - Older People’s Steering Group (18 February) • Yiewsley Community Fair (26 February) • Yiewsley & West Drayton Town Centre Partnership (2 March) • Hillingdon Interfaith Network (2 March) • Access and Mobility Forum (7 March) 1.17 A total of 3123 letters/ emails were sent to a wide range of groups and individuals on the LDF Consultation Database. Letters were sent inviting comments on the London Borough of Hillingdon 4 Consultation Statement - Regulation 30 (1) (e) consultation documents including a brief summary about the documents, where to view the documents and how to provide comments. Relevant groups were invited to a meeting and provided with a CD Rom containing the documents. Groups such as libraries, One-stop-shop, schools and GP surgeries were provided with a poster to further publicise the consultation and public drop-in sessions. 1.18 Letters were also sent to 50 randomly selected residents per ward from the electoral register (1100) and to 197 randomly selected businesses from the 2008 Hillingdon Business Directory. A letter and CD-Rom was sent to all statutory consultees (119). Residents Associations (115) were also sent a letter and CD- Rom. 1.19 It must be noted that approximately 70 letters were returned due to for example, changes to the named contact or address or the person/ organisation