Contents Introduction 1 Background to the Consultation 2 Responses to Consultation 2 Analysis of the Responses Received 5 Publisher 3 Spatial Portrait 10 Software 4 Spatial Vision 46 5 Spatial Objectives 64 Limehouse 6 Spatial Options 82 with 7 Other Policy Options 110 Created 8 Document List 169 Options 9 Glossary 169 Spatial on Appendices 10 List of Contacts 170 Consultation of 11 List of Specific Consultation Bodies 179 Report - 12 List of Respondents 180 irral W for Strategy Core Core Strategy for Wirral - Report of 2 Consultation on Spatial Options 1 Background to the Consultation 1.1 This report sets out the background to the consultation undertaken by the Council on the Spatial Options for a Core Strategy Development Plan Document for Created Wirral, as required under Regulation 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended). with 1.2 The results of the consultation have now been used to inform the preparation Limehouse of a Preferred Options Report for the Core Strategy. 1.3 This section sets out the details of the consultation process that was followed. Software Later sections set out the responses that were received and how the Council has responded to them in the Preferred Options Report. Publisher 1.4 The Core Strategy Development Plan Document is intended to set out the long-term vision, objectives and spatial strategy for the Borough, for a period of up to fifteen years. The Core Strategy Development Plan Document will replace the Core majority of the strategic policies set out in the Unitary Development Plan for Wirral, adopted in February 2000. It will be used to guide decisions on individual planning Strategy applications and will set the overall framework for the site-specific proposals to be included in a future land allocations Development Plan Documents. for 1.5 The timetable for the preparation of the Core Strategy Development Plan W Document is set out in the Local Development Scheme for Wirral. A copy of the irral latest Local Development Scheme and a summary of progress can be viewed on - (1) Report the Council's website . The Consultation Process of Consultation 1.6 Consultation on the Spatial Options began on 11 January 2010 and ended on 5 March 2010. Consultation took place on the following documents: Core Strategy Spatial Options Report (January 2010) on Spatial Options Interim Sustainability Appraisal (January 2010) Spatial Spatial Options Initial Equality Impact Statement (January 2010) Habitats Regulations Assessment - Interim Screening Assessment (November Options 2009) 1.7 The consultation documents were accompanied by three reports of previous consultation: Initial Report of Consultation (July 2006) Second Report of Initial Consultation (February 2009) Report of Consultation on Issues Vision and Objectives (January 2010) 1 http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/environment-and-planning/planning/local-development-framework Core Strategy for Wirral - Report of 3 Consultation on Spatial Options 1.8 Comments were invited on any part of these documents. The Spatial Options Report also invited comments on twenty-two Consultation Questions designed to focus attention on specific areas of the document. 1.9 Notification letters inviting comments on the consultation documents with a paper questionnaire and a summary "taster" booklet were sent to 569 contacts registered on the Council’s Local Development Framework Consultation Database, with free copies of the consultation documents offered on request. A list of the people Publisher and organisations contacted is provided in Section 10 of this report. 1.10 Printed copies of the consultation documents, a questionnaire and a "taster" Software booklet were sent to local Members of Parliament, to elected Councillors and to 49 specific consultation bodies. A list of the bodies included is provided in Section 11 of this report. Limehouse 1.11 Printed copies of the consultation documents were also placed on deposit with for public inspection at the public counter of the Technical Services Department in (2) Birkenhead, at all 24 public libraries across the Borough and at six One Stop Shops Created during normal opening hours. 1.12 Public notices were published for two consecutive weeks in the Wirral Globe Options and Wirral News on 13 and 20 January 2010. Press articles were also published in both newspapers on 13 January 2010. Spatial on 1.13 Electronic and downloadable versions of the documents were also made available, free of charge, through the Council's Local Development Framework Limehouse Software on-line consultation website(3). A news item was placed on the Council website throughout the duration of the consultation period from 12 January Consultation 2010 and links to the documents were also placed on the Council's Local Development of Framework and Planning Applications (Development Management) website home pages. Report - 1.14 Electronic notifications, with an electronic copy of the notification letter, a irral consultation questionnaire and a "taster" booklet with a link to the Council's on-line W consultation website were also sent to previous respondents registered on the Local for Development Framework Contacts Database who had provided e-mail addresses; to members of the Council's eleven Area Forums; to the members of the Local Strategy Strategic Partnership Assembly and Executive Board; to the members of the Wirral Investment Network; and to the Directors of each of the Council's Departments. Core 1.15 A Public Open Day was held between 10.00am and 8.00pm at Wallasey Town Hall on Friday 22 January 2010. Invitations to the Open Day were included in all the notification letters, e-mail notifications, press notices and press articles. 125 people signed the attendance register for the Open Day, although others who did not sign 2 at Conway Building, Birkenhead; Bromborough; Hoylake; Dominic House, Liscard; New Brighton; and Upton 3 http://wirral-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal Core Strategy for Wirral - Report of 4 Consultation on Spatial Options in were also in attendance. A short presentation introducing the Spatial Options was repeated every hour throughout the Day. Printed copies of the consultation documents were available free of charge; copies of evidence base documents were available for inspection and by order free of charge on CD; and planning officers were available Created throughout the day to answer questions and provide additional information. Comments could also be registered on comments sheets provided for the purpose. with 1.16 The consultation documents were also presented to the Wirral Investment Limehouse Board on 15 January 2010 and to a meeting of the Older People's Parliament on 5 March 2010, with a question and answer session. 1.17 The consultation drew 1,027 individual comments from 108 respondents. A Software list of respondents is provided in Section 12 of this report. 52 respondents replied by e-mail; 43 on-line; 12 by letter and one by fax. 32 of the respondents were local Publisher residents; 24 were local amenity societies; 24 were development interests such as landowners, developers and/or their agents; 22 were public bodies or associated agencies; 4 were utility or infrastructure providers; and 2 were national societies. (4) Core An additional 24 comments were submitted in person at the Open Day . Strategy 1.18 None of the comments were directed towards the Initial Equality Impact Statement. Three comments were directed towards the Interim Sustainability Appraisal(5) and three towards the Habitat Regulations Screening Assessment. for W 1.19 The Local Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report for December irral 2009 was also made available for consultation alongside the Spatial Options Report. - Report Four comments were submitted through the Council's on-line consultation website by one respondent concerned about the re-use of long term empty homes; retaining "characterful" older buildings; payment systems for public transport; and the control of Consultation of dog dirt along West Kirby promenade. 1.20 All the comments received on the Spatial Options Report are set out in the tables below. on For further information please contact: Wirral Council, Strategic Development, Town Spatial Hall, Brighton Street, Wallasey, Wirral CH44 8ED - Telephone 0151 691 8206 - Fax 0151 691 8188 - Email [email protected] Options 4 comments submitted at the Open Day are marked by the prefix "OD" in the following Analysis of Responses Received 5 these comments are now also addressed within the revised Sustainability Appraisal Report prepared to accompany the Preferred Options Report Core Strategy for Wirral - Report of 5 Consultation on Spatial Options 2 Analysis of the Responses Received 2.1 The following sections summarise the comments received under each of the main sections of the Spatial Options Report and set out a summary of the Council's response: Introduction Publisher 2.2 Comments on the Introduction to the Spatial Options Report were mainly directed towards: Software the amount, format and complexity of the information presented problems with the consultation process the sustainability appraisal and habitat regulations assessment Limehouse the timescale for the Core Strategy with General Comments Created 2.3 The following general comments were submitted: ID Summary of Responses Received Options 102 The Spatial Options Report is huge, comprehensive but turgid and a deterrent Spatial to reading. It will be interesting to see how many tax-payers make comment. on Even more interesting if the Council take note. 141 It is a pity that the Spatial Options Report is so long and difficult to read. Summaries for each Spatial Option for each Settlement Area with detailed Consultation notes attached would have helped. Uniform numbering of sections and of paragraphs is preferred. It is unfortunate that there are two versions in PDF and on-line as each must be read to prove agreement. Report - 228 The Spatial Options Report is very long and complex, running to well over irral a thousand pages with the various ancillary reports and consultation W documents.