26 January 2012, 12/13
Half way point for Local Plan consultation
Public consultation on the West Lancashire
Local Plan is well underway with just under three weeks left
for people to have their say on the proposals.
Consultation on the Local Plan Preferred
Options Paper started earlier this month and ends on Friday 17
February.
West Lancashire Borough Council is now urging
those interested in viewing the proposals and playing a part in the
future plans of the borough to get involved as soon as
possible.
As part of the consultation everyone can give
their views to help make sure the new homes, jobs and services West
Lancashire needs will be located in the most sustainable
places.
Like all councils in the country, West
Lancashire is required to produce a plan for the borough over the
next 15 years. Within this plan, the Council have to set out how
targets, such as housing targets, will be met over the plan
duration.
In the absence of a robust and deliverable
plan it may leave the borough vulnerable to planning applications
on more unsuitable sites, including Green Belt, which might be hard
to refuse.
Councillor Martin Forshaw, portfolio holder
for Planning, said:“In order to plan for a great future some
important, and at times, difficult decisions have to be made. One
of these decisions has been allocating Green Belt for future
housing and employment use.
“Housing targets must be met and we do not
have a surplus of brownfield land in the borough therefore we have
had to look at other options. One of these options is to allocate a
very small proportion, less than 0.5%, of our Green Belt to
potential housing use.
“I urge anyone interested in playing their
part in the planning of West Lancashire’s future to view the report
and comment on the proposals. All comments received will be
analysed and will help refine the plan.”
The Local Plan is intended to deliver
sustainable development whilst reflecting the needs of local
communities. It sets out policies for housing, job creation, Green
Belt release, regeneration, site allocations, Gypsies and
Travellers, transport and environment.
Consultation events
A number of consultation events have already
been held and valuable feedback has been provided that will help
the planning team refine the proposals. There is still time to
attend exhibitions where planning officers will be on hand to
discuss the draft Plan.
- Saturday 28 Jan: exhibition at the Concourse, Skelmersdale 10am
to 4pm
- Sat 4 Feb: exhibition at Ormskirk Civic Hall 10am to 4pm
An additional forum is also to being held at
the Council offices in Ormskirk on Friday 3 February for those
unable to attend the forum held in their local area. Starting at
2pm, the forum will be held at 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, L31 2DF.
To find out more, or book your place, please call 01695 585171.
How to find out more and have your say
Consultation runs from Thursday 5 January to
Friday 17 February 2012.
- Visit the Local Plan page
on the website
- Email: localplan@westlancs.gov.uk
- Attend one of the consultation events
– see above.
- Read the full Local Plan Preferred
Options Report at 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk; the CSP, Skelmersdale;
your local library or post office.
- Write to 2027, Planning Policy, West
Lancs Borough Council, 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, L30 2DF.
The Local Plan Preferred Options document
represents the next milestone in the preparation and delivery of
the West Lancashire Local Plan, which will supersede the existing
Replacement Local Plan. It aims to make sure new homes, jobs and
services required by communities are located in the most
sustainable places. It will also deliver the necessary
infrastructure, facilities and other development to make this
possible.
Should a council choose not to produce a Local
Plan, or if their Local Plan is found unsound by a Planning
Inspector (e.g. because the housing target is not in line with
national household projections), then they are reliant on national
policy to make decisions on planning applications. National
policy may not provide the detailed policies required for a borough
such as West Lancashire to refuse inappropriate applications in the
local context.
Related information