Neighbourhood Planning in Haringey

Myddleton Road Strategic Group7th November 2013

What is Neighbourhood Planning?  

Neighbourhood Planning, introduced through the Localism Act 2011, offers an opportunity for communities to influence the development and growth of their local

area, through the production of a neighbourhood development plan, neighbourhood development order,

or a community right to build order.

Other Documents

Supplementary Planning Documents

Development Plan Documents

London Plan

Local Plan: Strategic Policies

National Planning Policy

Annual Monitoring

Report

Statement of Community Involvement

Local Development

Scheme

Planning Briefs/

Statements

Conservation Area Statements and Appraisals

Others (as required)

Sustainable Community Strategy

Community Infrastructure

Levy

Development Management /

UDP Saved Policies

Site Allocations

North London

Waste Plan

Area Action Plans: Wood Green/

Tottenham

South Tottenham

House Extensions

Tottenham Hale Urban

Centre

Wood Green Town

CentreHousing

Open Space

Standards

Neighbourhood Plans

Sustainable Design &

Construction

First Steps in Neighbourhood Planning

The first step in neighbourhood planning is the proposal of a neighbourhood area.

The next step is forming a neighbourhood forum of at least 21 people for the neighbourhood area.

Once the area and forum are agreed and designated by the Council, a neighbourhood plan can be prepared.

What is the Neighbourhood Area?

A community group will propose a neighbourhood area which is to be the focus for their neighbourhood plan, this is then assessed and approved by the Council.

A neighbourhood area can be any size but can’t overlap another neighbourhood area.

Myddleton Road

Myddleton Road and Surrounding Area

What is a Neighbourhood Forum? A neighbourhood forum is the representative community body who will

produce a neighbourhood plan.

A neighbourhood forum must:

• have membership that is open to individuals who live or work in the area and to councillors;

• have at least 21 members, who must live or work in the neighbourhood or be a councillor - you must have at least one person from each of these categories;

• have a written constitution;

• be established to promote the social, economic and environmental well-being of their area.

• They should also have membership drawn from different places in the neighbourhood area and have membership drawn from different sections of the community in the area.

What the community should do

When preparing these applications, the community group is required to demonstrate with whom, and how, they have engaged the residents in the proposed neighbourhood area. This is important to ensure the area and forum reflect the aspirations of all members of the community.

The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 sets out the requirements for applications for neighbourhood areas and neighbourhood forums www.legislation.gov.uk .

Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan

When your neighbourhood area and forum are approved you are ready to get on with preparing your plan.

What is in a neighbourhood plan is largely up to the

forum. The topics covered will reflect the issues the local community consider important. Your plan can include as many or few topics as you want, and be as detailed or general as you want.

For example, a plan could provide guidance on what new buildings in the area should look like; what type of development should happen on development sites in the neighbourhood; and the mix of uses in the town centre.

Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood plans must be consistent with requirements set out in the regulations;

Neighbourhood plans are primarily planning documents and should focus on planning matters and provide land use planning policies;

Remember that neighbourhood plans should be focused on influencing good development, not preventing growth and development.

Existing Local Policy Framework

• Local Plan • Saved UDP Policies• Emerging policies including the Development

Management Policies and the Site Allocation document• Evidence Base Studies – including retail capacity

study, employment land study, open space and biodiversity study

• Other relevant documents- Myddleton Road Neighbourhood Plan 2003- Managing Change – Conservation and Regeneration of Myddleton Road 2011- Myddleton Road Local Shopping Centre – Policy

Guidance Note 2013

The Council’s Role Haringey Council has a number of statutory duties in relation to

neighbourhood planning. These include: 

– publicise, and agree, proposed boundaries for neighbourhood areas;– publicise applications for, and agree, neighbourhood forums;– publicise draft neighbourhood plans; – organise and pay for a referendum;– organise and pay for an independent examination; and – adopt and bring neighbourhood plans into force.

  In addition, Haringey also has a duty to provide technical advice and

support. This duty is not specifically defined and could include requests for support on a range of things, such as advice on compliance with Haringey’s local planning policies; mapping and drafting of the Plan; evidence base information; and legal advice.

  Haringey will continue to produce development plans which will set the

strategic context within which neighbourhood plans will sit.

Independent Examination & Referendum Following consultation the Plan will be submitted to an independent examiner.

The examiner will check that the neighbourhood plan meets the required standards by being in line with:

• the strategic content of Haringey’s adopted plans;• the National Planning Policy Framework; and • any relevant national or international designations.

After the examination, the examiner will produce a report which will recommend that the neighbourhood plan should either:

• go forward to a referendum; • go forward to a referendum subject to recommendations; or • not go forward to a referendum.

When a neighbourhood plan has been passed by the examiner and agreed in the referendum, the Council must then adopt the plan. This involves a formal decision by the Council's Cabinet and full Council.

The neighbourhood plan will then sit alongside the Council's other adopted plans (and the London Plan) as the basis for decisions on planning applications in the neighbourhood area.

Things to consider before starting a Neighbourhood Plan

• What is the purpose of your Neighbourhood Plan? What do you

want it to achieve?• What area is your plan going to cover? And why this area?• Who will be part of the Neighbourhood Forum?• How will you make sure the Neighbourhood Forum is

representative of the local community?• How will you engage with the wider community while preparing

your plan?• How will you build consensus with the community?• Are there other groups nearby with similar objectives? Have

you contacted them?• Are there other local or national plans or proposals which

impact on the neighbourhood area?• How will neighbouring areas be affected by your plan?• What sort of skills, knowledge and resources will be required to

prepare the plan? • How long will the plan take to prepare?

Support and Advice

• Department of Community and Local Government offer grants to support groups developing neighbourhood plans

www.mycommunityrights.org.uk/neighbourhood-planning/

• Planning Aid for London and the Princes’ Foundation offer professional advice and support for neighbourhood planning

www.planningaidforlondon.org.uk/www.princes-foundation.org/

Highgate Neighbourhood Area and Forum

The cross borough Highgate Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum were approved by Camden and Haringey Councils in December 2012.

The Highgate Neighbourhood Plan is currently being prepared and is expected to be submitted to the Councils in early 2014.

Further details: www.highgateneighbourhoodforum.org.uk/

Contact us

Full details of the Neighbourhood Planning process , the Council’s role and the statutory regulations, along with Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.haringey.gov.uk/neighbourhood_planning

Email: ldf@haringey.gov.ukPhone: 020 8489 1479