The community can now get more effectively involved with planning decisions that affect them through the Pre Application Community Involvement process. (Pre App CI).
Previously, the community would only be able to have a say in a Planning Application during the Statutory Consultation Period after a Planning Application is submitted.
There is little opportunity to affect or change a proposed development once all the work to put together a Planning Application has been completed so most planning groups have been restricted to trying to fight off developments that have adverse impact on their neighbourhood.
Since the
2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act and Bristol City Council's adoption of the
Statement of Community Involvement in October 2008, the community is able to be involved before Planning Application stage.
This means that members of the community can talk to the developer and make him aware of issues that their community feel important in consideration of development in their area.
There is an advantage to both parties;
- the community may be aware of, or hold strong views about,
- issues that the developer would not otherwise discover until too late,
- and the community may be able to convince the developer to design a scheme that is welcomed by the community.
How does Pre App CI work?
What sort of developments can the local community get involved in Pre Application?
The Local Planning Authority expects the developer of any
- major (10 residential units or 1,000 sq m of commercial floorspace or a mixture of the two) or
- super major (100 residential units or 10,000 sq m of commercial floorspace)
to have Pre Application Community Involvement (Pre App CI) discussions and to submit, with his Planning Application, a Community Involvement Statement (CIS) giving details of the discussions he has had and how they have affected the design.
This means that, before the developer applies to the Local Planning Authority for permission to develop a site, he or his agent will have a series of discussions with the local community about his proposals for development.
This will be done through the local planning group identified through the Neighbourhood Planning Network (NPN).
How can the community get involved?
Pre Application Community Involvement (Pre AppCI) discussions are held at a very early stage, 'before specific proposals are made, when significant options are still open and while there is still the potential to make a difference.' Ground Rule 5 (p7) SCI.
For the meetings to be effective, a small number of people, able to understand and communicate about planning issues, meet with the developer. These people are from the Neighbourhood Planning Group and are members of the Neighbourhood Planning Network (NPN).
How does a Pre App CI discussion start?
A Pre Application Community Involvement discussion may start in one of three ways:
- The developer may make a pre application enquiry to Bristol City Council
as Local Planning Authority
- The developer may tell the NPN administrator that they would like to discuss a proposed development with the relevant group
- The developer may directly approach a Neighbourhood Planning Group
The Local Planning Authority informs the NPN Administrator and local Councillors of all Pre Application enquiries for major and supermajor developments.
In this case, or if the developer directly approaches the NPN, the NPN Administrator will check with the local group that they wish to be involved in Pre Application Community Involvement discussions and are happy that their contact details are passed to the developer.
The NPN administrator will then pass the information to the developer and give guidance about Community Involvement process.
How should Pre App CI discussions be organised?
How do I find out whether there is a Neighbourhood Planning Group in my area?
If you would like to get involved with planning decisions in your area through your neighbourhood planning group contact NPN Administrator giving your address or postcode and email address. The administrator will give you information about the group or groups in your area.
How do I join the NPN?
If you are a member of a community group that would like to join the Neighbourhood Planning Network (NPN) so that the group can get involved in Pre Application Community Involvement discussions contact the NPN Administrator
- giving details of your group,
- what area it covers and
- confirming that your group can comply with the Terms of Reference.
