Page 125 Agenda Item 12 Report to: Housing, Economy and Business Committee th Date: 26 November 2013 Report of: Executive Head of Economic Development, Planning & Sustainability Ward Location: Beddington North Author(s) and Contact Phone Wallington North Number(s): Dean James (x6416) Area Served: Beddington Chair of the Committee: Councillor Jayne McCoy Report Title: Beddington Neighbourhood Area and Forum Designation Summary: This report sets out the process and results of consultation on the applications from the µBeddington 1HLJKERXUKRRG'HYHORSPHQW*URXS¶IRUIRUPDOGHVLJQDWLRQRI D WKH neighbourhood area, and; (b) the neighbourhood forum, for purposes of producing a neighbourhood plan. Recommendations: The Housing, Economy and Business (HEB) Committee is recommended to: 1. )RUPDOO\GHVLJQDWHµ%HGGLQJWRQ¶DVDQHLJKERXUKRRGSODQQLQJDUHD, and; 2. )RUPDOO\GHVLJQDWHWKHµ%HGGLQJWRQ1HLJKERXUKRRG'HYHORSPHQW*URXS¶DVD neighbourhood planning forum Background Documents and Previous Decisions: Housing, Economy and Business Committee 18 September 2012:- Identified requests made so far for support to undertake Neighbourhood Planning and proposed a number of criteria and a methodology to help prioritise such requests. Housing, Economy and Business Committee 29 January 2013:- identified Beddington as the next area to receive priority support from the Council in developing a neighbourhood plan following assessment based upon agreed criteria. 1 Agenda Item 12 Page 126 Signed: Strategic Director Date: 13 November 2013 1. Background 1.1 One of the new powers to be introduced through the Localism Act is a new FRPPXQLW\ EDVHG SURFHVV FDOOHG µQHLJKERXUKRRG SODQQLQJ¶ JLYLQJ ORFDO communities more responsibilities to plan for their area. One of the main components of neighbourhood planning is WKH µQHLJKERXUKRRG GHYHORSPHQW SODQ¶Dflexible community-based document that would ultimately be adopted as part of the planning policy for the Borough. 1.2 In line with the Planning Advisory GrouS¶V UHVROXWLRQ LQ ZRUN ZDV undertaken in order to establish the level of demand for Neighbourhood Planning in the Borough, in addition to the neighbourhood planning work already being undertaken in Hackbridge. Neighbourhood planning was presented to each of the local committees as well as meetings of specific local groups where this has been requested. Additionally, Strategic Planning ran a successful public event for the local community to look at the background to Neighbourhood Planning, the benefits and opportunities it might present for them in their local areas and also to help the Council identify the level of support that they felt might be needed. 1.3 As a result of this activity a number of areas expressed an interest in taking forward neighbourhood planning. In the context of limited resources a Task and Finish Group was set up to decide on a fair and transparent range of indicators in order to help decide how to prioritise these areas. The Task and Finish Group considered a range of possible criteria and decided that requests for support should be determined in the context of the application of agreed criteria (as set out in Appendix 1). The Task and Finish Group agreed that the criteria should be applied sequentially and priority should be given to those proposals which meet them all. This was reported back to, and agreed, at the HEB Committee on 18th September 2012. 1.4 Following assessment of those areas that had expressed an interest, using the criteria and methodology, Beddington was identified as the next area to receive priority support in producing a neighbourhood plan, due to the development potential, number of strategic issues and levels of deprivation. This was endorsed by Members at the HEB committee on 29th January 2013. In addition the Beddington Area Renewal PrograPPHLGHQWLILHVµGHYHORSLQJD QHLJKERXUKRRGSODQ¶DVRQHRIWKHSULRULW\SURMHFWVIRU 2 Page 127 Agenda Item 12 1.5 The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 require any community wishing to take forward neighbourhood planning to apply to the local authority for formal designation of; (a) a neighbourhood area; and (b) a neighbourhood forum. As such two applications were submitted to the Council by the Beddington Neighbourhood Development Group µWKH *URXS¶ RQ th August 2013. The 6-week period of public consultation was open between 19st September and 31nd October 2013. 2. Issues Application for designation of Neighbourhood Area 2.1 The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations require a community group to include in any application for designation of a neighbourhood area: A map identifying the area to which the application relates; A statement explaining why the area is considered appropriate; A Statement that the organisation is a relevant body 2.2 The map that has been submitted by the Group is largely the Beddington North ward boundary. However, the proposed boundary also includes the Grange and gardens adjacent to Beddington Park, located in the Wallington North ward, as residents feel this effectively forms one open space. A map is available in Appendix 1. 2.3 Under the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations you cannot designate µRYHUODSSLQJ¶QHLJKERXUKRod planning areas. Therefore, if the Beddington area is designated, any future neighbourhood planning groups will not be able to µHQFURDFK¶LQWRWKHGHVLJQDWHGERXQGDU\ 2.4 No comments or objections were received during the consultation period. Application for designation of Neighbourhood Forum 2.5 The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations require a community group to include in any application for designation of a neighbourhood forum: The name of the proposed forum; A copy of the written constitution of the group; Name of the neighbourhood area the application relates to; Contact details on at least one person; Statement which explains how the proposed neighbourhood forum meets conditions contained in section 61F(5) of the 1990 Act. 2.6 The second application submitted by the group contains the information to satisfy the above criteria. The Group is made up of a range of people from the community, including residents, business, other local interest groups and organisations, and have actively sought to raise awareness of the process and to attract new members. The Group has shown considerable enthusiasm, drive and motivation for this process and it is considered that they are competent and capable of taking forward a neighbourhood development plan for their area. 2.7 No comments or objections were received during the consultation period. 3 Agenda Item 12 Page 128 3. Recommendations 3.1 Having reviewed both applications, and considering that no objections have so far been received (any comments received will be included in report), the Strategic Planning team is of the view that the requirements of the neighbourhood planning regulations have been satisfied. Therefore, the committee is recommended to formally designate both the neighbourhood area and the neighbourhood forum for purposes of the Group producing a neighbourhood plan for the Beddington area. Once adopted this plan will form part of the Local Development Framework and will be used in the determination of planning applications. 3.2 The Housing, Economy and Business (HEB) Committee is recommended to: 1. )RUPDOO\GHVLJQDWHµ%HGGLQJWRQ¶DVDQHLJKERXUKRRGSODQQLQJDUHD, and; 2. )RUPDOO\GHVLJQDWHWKHµ%HGGLQJWRQ1HLJKERXUKRRG'HYHORSPHQW*URXS¶ as a neighbourhood planning forum 4. Impacts and Implications Core impacts: Financial 4.1 The costs of providing targeted officer support to help with the Beddington Neighbourhood Plan can be contained within the existing revenue estimates. Future costs to be incurred by this process include the examination of the draft plan and the referendum. The CLG has made grant funding available for local authorities to help support neighbourhood planning programmes. This includes the following: Designation of a neighbourhood planning area = £5,000 Designation of a neighbourhood planning forum = £5,000 Submission of a draft plan to the local authority submitted = £5,000 Completion of a successful examination - £20,000 . 4.2 The Council was successful in securing £5,000 grant money following the designation of the Hackbridge and Beddington Corner Neighbourhood Planning Area (designated in September 2012) and will continue to actively pursue grant funding for the Beddington Neighbourhood Area too. The Government has confirmed that this funding structure will continue into the 2014/15 financial year. Legal 4.3 There are no specific legal implications arising from the report. Community 4.4 Consultation on the applications and any future consultation on a draft neighbourhood plan ZLOO KHOS ZLWK WKH &RXQFLO¶V DLP RI $FKLHYLQJ 6RFLDO Inclusion. It will also proYLGHWKHVSDWLDOSODQQLQJGLPHQVLRQIRUWKH%RURXJK¶V Community Strategy. 4 Page 129 Agenda Item 12 One Planet Living 4.5 Working with the local community in Beddington in producing a neighbourhood development pODQ ZLOO KHOS FRQWULEXWH WR WKH &RXQFLO¶V DLP RI $FKLHYLQJ Environmental Sustainability by ensuring that the protection of our environment is a key consideration. Any plan produced will need to be in conformity with the development plan for Sutton, which will help support the policy aims of the /RFDO 'HYHORSPHQW )UDPHZRUN SDUWLFXODUO\ &RUH 3ROLF\ %3 µ2QH 3ODQHW /LYLQJ¶ 7KH *URXS FRQVLGHU WKH µ2QH 3ODQHW /LYLQJ¶ SULQFLSOHV DV fundamental to their neighbourhood plan. Integrated Impact Assessment 4.6 One of the key objectives of the Local Development Framework, as set out in WKH&RUH3ODQQLQJ6WUDWHJ\LQUHODWLRQWRWKHWKHPHRIµ&UHDWLQJ6WURQJ$FWLYH