bristol neighbourhood planning network

Bristol NPN is setting up a pool of 'experts' to help groups with pre-app CI.We are aiming to provide, particularly to less experienced groups, an 'expert' to help them build up their capacity/ capability to respond to the increased community involvement requirements. This will supplement the work of South West Planning Aid. We will report further on this in due course.

South Bristol

Bristol NPN intends to set up a meeting specifically to discuss the issues of area planning for development in South Bristol. We hope to arrange this for late June/ early July. If you are interested please contact us and if you know of any other groups in South Bristol that you think should be involved please let us have details.

Section 106 Developer Contributions

NPN will arrange a network meeting to cover Section 106 Developer Contributions. NPN will draw up a practice note for groups to cover pre-app CI.

Network to Meet BCC & GOSW in May

Delegations from the Bristol Neighbourhood Planning Network will be meeting with officials of both Bristol City Council and Government Office South West during May 2008.

The meetings with BCC officers will concern both development control and the production of the Core Strategy.

The meeting with GOSW will look at Regional policy, including urban regeneration, urban extensions, eco towns and Green Belt amendment; Transport policy, particularly the promotion of public transport; LDF, specifically the application of Government guidance; and the working of the SCI both in plan-making and in the planning applications process.

Watch out for news from these meetings.

Changes in planning controls for HMOs mooted

(HMO review has been announced by the Housing Minister to consult on possible planning changes to change the problems caused by over concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupancy. See below for press release and seminar report from the National HMO lobby.)

The planning regime for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) could be about to change now the Government has launched a review of the sector.

This initiative, announced by housing and planning minister Caroline Flint, is partly the result of concern over what has been termed 'studentification', an issue around some universities where there are significant areas with over-concentrations of HMOs.

The dramatic growth in student numbers (now almost 2.5 million) has brought in its wake an increase in housing problems in some areas. Towns and cities including Nottingham, Southampton, Loughborough and Bristol have reported more empty properties during the summer and the creation of 'ghost towns' with shops, businesses and pubs simply closing down.

Ministers are concerned that an over-concentration of houses in multiple occupation in one area can have a negative impact on the neighbourhood and local public services. Student turnover is typically high, 52% in Leeds for example, which can affect the sense of community as landlords opt to concentrate properties ever closer together.

more...

Garage Strategy

It has come to our attention that BCC has a Garage Strategy Project, that is selling off garages in our area.

SCAF and BCP have had involvement in this.

Planning Enforcement

A new document has been placed in the Library of this website, detailing the BCC approach to planning enforcement.