Two B&NES Lib-Dem Councillors have vowed to repair the damage done to the emerging Core Strategy by urging local people to use the tools offered by the Localism Act 2011. The Act enables communities to take control of their own neighbourhoods by drawing up their own neighbourhood plan.
Cllr Bevan, Peasedown St John, said: "It is crucial that we have the power to control what happens in our own areas. As part of our commitment to localism, regardless of what happens with the Core Strategy, neighbourhood plans are the key to avoiding Government diktats for our communities.
"The Neighbourhood Plan provides a bottom-up alternative that could also deliver the additional homes demanded by Central Government. These are community led, not Planning Inspector led and are therefore much more appropriate for the people who live in that neighbourhood."
The process according to the Localism Act involves only three people at the initial stage and takes only six weeks.
Cllr Bevan added: "Furthermore, Neighbourhood Development Orders could provide, and have equal status with, planning consents in less than six months from start to finish, thus fulfilling our duty to provide much-needed affordable homes in our area."
Cllr Stevens added: "The Neighbourhood Plans offer communities a real chance to have a say in the development they want to see in their area. We know there is a housing shortage in Bath and this is one way that you can tell the Council how to solve that problem. The Council has to take what you say seriously and I would like to encourage any residents who wish to, to contact their Councillor to tell them." Sources of funding for the plans include the Government's Supporting Communities Fund and its New Burdens Fund. Each Neighbourhood Plan attracts £30,000, with £5,000 paid at commencement and £25,000 on completion, comment the two Lib-Dem Councillors.
Further information from http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning">www.bathnes.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning or email planning_policy@ bathnes.gov.uk or phone the Planning Policy Team on 01225 477548.
B&NES accused of not promoting Neighbourhood Plans
Cllr Bevan continued: "These information booklets about these plans have been hidden away in B&NES Council offices.
"There has been a view that they are not worth doing, because the Council has failed to to have its Core Strategy approved and these plans need to tie in with that.
"Everyone is scared about where the 18,500 extra homes might end up. I asked for ten extra copies of the Neighbourhood Planning book and have been distributing them to people who might wish to develop such a plan for their area."