| Topic: | Re:Putney development, high-rise and localism | |
| Posted by: | Sarah Roberts | |
| Date/Time: | 02/06/12 09:09:00 |
| Reference: the Putney Society Posting on the front page of putneysw.15.com. At the Putney Society Meeting last week: "Martin Howell gave the WBC view on the revised guidance about what would be considered an adequately constituted Neighbourhood Forum (a group that would be authorised to develop plans for a “neighbourhood”), including many parties other than residents, and the Council’s latitude to “guide” the boundaries of Neighbourhoods." I wanted to examine the Council's latitude to "guide" the boundaries... I suggested to Martin Howell WBC's senior planning policy maker that if I was to find 23 like-minded, hard-working neighbours who wanted to join me in creating a neighbourhood forum and we somehow managed to find the necessary @ £20,000 of self-funding and the time to wade through the 8 stage process to agree and propose our 'Neighbourhood' to WBC, Martin Howell conveyed that in the "consultation" stage with WBC it would be unlikely for a neighbourhood plan that was solely defined by a street or one site to be agreed by WBC. They, the Council, would consider adding to or enlarging the areas defined. Why? Already my alarm bells are ringing. We would have to consult with WBC? They would have "latitude' to change and re-define the neighbourhoods defined by residents? Well many are wondering what form neighourhood plans will take (see WordPress Neighbourhood Plans). Could they be: - comprehensive master plans with design guidance for individual sites? - could it present generic planning principles for the future of an area? - could it focus on a single issue - eg. protection of green space In my example, could it focus on one Conservation Area, one street, one site only? So far Communities and Local Government have confirmed it could be any and all of these and according to CLG's analysis of the frontrunners mini Neighbourhood Plans are emerging. So why would Wandsworth try to redefine neighbourhood plans if people wish to limit them to a single street or a specific site? Already I can feel the choking stranglehold of the Borough Planner (collective term). Does WBC genuinely want any resident getting involved in neighbourhood planning? Would any resident in their right mind go to the great lengths required to create a Neigbourhood Forum and propose a plan when they know they will have to confront WBC in "consultation" mode; when you have the kind of incompetent and thoroughly dishonest Borough Planner (collective term) that we have; a PAC chaired by a property developer, a deputy chairwoman who I have yet to see live up to her mantle of Wandsworth Heritage Champion and a councillor who is director of her husband's architects practice? It would be shear lunacy, surely? WBC will be busy formulating their unique interpretation of Localism's regulations in a way that best suits their objectives, their developers' objectives and in the process, does all it can to frighten off residents. |