When I said in my previous post I would update on the ‘risks’ of a Neighbourhood Plan’, I did not quite realise how big a task this might be!
I should and will try and talk/meet with Cllr D Laws who is the WTC lead Councillor on this project, she is much more up to speed as to where WTC are at present.
I did read her post on Street Life© and as she quoted “Neighbourhood Plan is difficult to cover in a few paragraphs”
From my research so far a lot of a Neighbourhood Plan revolves around but not limited too The National Planning Policy Framework. Another document which is vast and at times difficult to understand to the lay person.
http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/
Part of this NP is ‘Flood Risk and Coastal Change’
http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change/
Cllr D Laws has also put ‘links’ into her post on ‘SL’©
So what are the ‘risks’ – well – ask the question? – what are the advantages of a Neighbourhood Plan – the way it is being ‘sold’ is that it gives ‘Localism’ – back to Councils and Communities.
This ‘maybe‘ true, but from what I have seen and experienced of Localism, is that the Government wants to ‘offload’ all the none-sexy’ bits without giving the resources or money to effectively carry out the tasks.
Remember WTC still comes under FDC in ‘most’ decision and policy making’ and this will also continue. WTC has too abide by FDC’s own Strategic Plan for the future. This includes most if not all ‘Planning decisions’
Yes I would like to believe that a Local Neighbourhood Plan is a good thing and I very much applaud those who at WTC are trying and doing a lot of back ground work in order that this maybe achieved.
But I still need some serious convincing of what the practical benefits may achieve at the end of the day…. Sell me a lot more pro’s and I may be convinced.
I doubt very much, even if Whittlesey had a Neighbourhood Plan in place, when the controversial planning applications for Showfields, Snowley Park or the Supermarkets were all discussed whether there would have been enough within the ‘NP’ to have made any difference to the outcomes in the end – so therefor what’s the point -I may ask again.
