What Is A Local Plan?
The following definition is taken directly from Basildon Council's Local Plan document.
A Local Plan is unavoidable, but will we get the best plan for Billericay's needs and to protect our future?
The constant (over?) emphasis on 'infrastructure first' is honourable but can the Council deliver on that promise considering that nearly all key infrastructure in is the hands of providers outside of the Council's direct control? All they can try to do is get infrastructure money from developers and all we can hope is that it is spent to the benefit of Billericay.
They say that "The Green Belt is important to us and we take the responsibility of protecting Green Belt very seriously" but that does not stop the proposal for all new houses (2,800) in Billericay being built on the Green Belt. And whilst they argue that the loss of Green Belt is a small percentage in the Borough as a whole (so that alight then!), the bulk of that loss is in Billericay.
In a wing and as prayer springs to mind!
INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST
BASILDON COUNCIL’S GUIDE TO THE LOCAL PLAN
What is the Local Plan?
So what does it do?
So how many houses have to be built?
So what about infrastructure?
SUMMARY
A Local Plan is unavoidable, but will we get the best plan for Billericay's needs and to protect our future?
The constant (over?) emphasis on 'infrastructure first' is honourable but can the Council deliver on that promise considering that nearly all key infrastructure in is the hands of providers outside of the Council's direct control? All they can try to do is get infrastructure money from developers and all we can hope is that it is spent to the benefit of Billericay.
They say that "The Green Belt is important to us and we take the responsibility of protecting Green Belt very seriously" but that does not stop the proposal for all new houses (2,800) in Billericay being built on the Green Belt. And whilst they argue that the loss of Green Belt is a small percentage in the Borough as a whole (so that alight then!), the bulk of that loss is in Billericay.
In a wing and as prayer springs to mind!
INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST
BASILDON COUNCIL’S GUIDE TO THE LOCAL PLAN
What is the Local Plan?
- The Local Plan is a document that sets out how Basildon Borough will change over a period of time and is also reactive to changes.
- It covers all planning matters, except those concerning waste disposal and minerals extraction. It provides a legal framework for the Planning Committee to work to.
- It will ensure that future development makes a positive contribution to our Borough and will ensure that developments only take place with the required infrastructure – Infrastructure First!
- We have a Local Plan because, as a Local Planning Authority, the Government says we have to.
So what does it do?
- It sets out a vision, and the Council’s objectives for future development and change within the Borough.
- The policies within the plan set out the strategic approach to growth and where housing development will take place across the Borough.
- It identifies the specific locations where housing developments can occur and builds on two key issues:
- Sites that were brought forward by landowners under the ‘Call For Sites’;
- Sites that have been identified as potentially suitable for building together with the specific infrastructure that is needed. This information has been collated as a result of more than two years of research and input from all the key stakeholders such as utility companies, schools, doctors’ surgeries, highways, etc.
So how many houses have to be built?
- A calculation for the required housing over the next twenty years indicates the Borough needs between 19,440 and 19,720 houses.
- We acknowledge that this is only a calculation and the Local Plan needs to be flexible to these numbers changing, either up or down, as well as recognising that the bigger numbers can only be achieved by having the required infrastructure – Infrastructure First!
- If the required housing numbers are correct it creates a problem. We don’t have enough land to build them so we can only meet the demand by building on land designated as Green Belt.
- The Green Belt is important to us and we take the responsibility of protecting Green Belt very seriously. We have therefore carefully calculated the minimum amount of Green Belt required to meet the demand, should that demand prove to be correct.
- The worst-case scenario reduces our Green Belt by 4%. This means that 59% of the land area in Basildon remains designated as Green Belt.
So what about infrastructure?
- Infrastructure comes first!
- To achieve the large numbers of housing means significant infrastructure investment is required.
- Even some of the smaller developments require infrastructure to various degrees. The Local Plan is designed to ensure that infrastructure comes first.
- This will be achieved through the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP), which will drive this very important issue.
- While some developments may go through and provide some infrastructure needs afterwards, the larger developments must have the infrastructure before the development starts. Infrastructure first!
- The money to pay for infrastructure will either come from developers as a result of a levy (known as the Community Infrastructure Levy), the Council, or the Government in the case of the larger scale developments.
- Basildon Borough Council is committed to ensuring that infrastructure comes first and that developments are not constructed piecemeal over areas in order to negate required infrastructure (development creep).
SUMMARY
- The Local Plan provides a legal framework to object to developments if we feel there is not the appropriate infrastructure.
- We have to have one, or the Government will inflict one on us.
- The Local Plan covers the period to 2034 but is reviewable after five years to maintain flexibility.
- We should be planning for at least 19,400 houses.
- We may have to give up 4% of our Green Belt.
- We believe in Infrastructure First.
