MORE than 30 town and parish councils - including Downton and Laverstock - have joined together to appeal for help in "protecting the future of neighbourhood planning".

The councils have formed the Wiltshire Area Localism and Planning Group (WALPA), and represent more than 200,000 residents across the county.

They say "urgent action" is needed, with Wiltshire's town and parish councils "suffering because of significant loopholes in planning legislation".

They add that "carefully drafted" neighbourhood plans - reflecting the views of local communities - can be overruled, unless Wiltshire Council is consistently able to maintain five years’ worth of available housing land.

At the moment, they say, Wiltshire does not have that "critical" five–year supply, which means that developers are challenging Neighbourhood Plans as soon as they are two years old.

Mayor of Malmesbury, Campbell Ritchie, highlighting the view towards Malmesbury Abbey at the Filands site that was given planning permission in May in breach of the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan

Mayor of Malmesbury, Campbell Ritchie, highlighting the view towards Malmesbury Abbey at the Filands site that was given planning permission in May in breach of the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan

'Urgent changes are needed'

Speaking on behalf of the alliance, Mayor of Malmesbury Campbell Ritchie said there is agreement between the group, the leadership of Wiltshire Council, and local MPs that "urgent changes are needed" to protect Neighbourhood Plans in Wiltshire.

He said: "Wiltshire Council’s planning policies are being smashed by developers seeking to take advantage of this unfortunate situation.

"The huge effort going into creating the next stage of the Wiltshire Local Plan for housing and development is also being undermined."

He added: “We are calling now for a joint effort to achieve the changes we all want.

"We have requested an urgent meeting with the leaders of Wiltshire Council and our MPs to develop a shared and public plan to protect Neighbourhood Planning in Wiltshire.

"We are looking forward to being able to report a positive outcome.”

The group has called for a meeting - on February 26 - "to discuss and agree a common approach".

The specific changes being sought by the Town and Parish Councils are:

  • The dropping of the requirement that, to be taken into consideration, Neighbourhood Plans must be less than two years old
  • Removing the changes to the definition of planning areas that in Wiltshire’s case has made the whole unitary authority the planning area in place of the more meaningful North, South, East and West sub divisions, and
  • Reversing the changes to the methodology for the calculation of land supply for housing which have so tipped the control of the calculation into the hands of developers.
Nick Baker, chairman of Laverstock and Ford Parish Council

Nick Baker, chairman of Laverstock and Ford Parish Council

'So much more can be done'

Laverstock and Ford Parish Council has also offered its support to the group.

Nick Baker, chairman of the council, said: "We agree with the Wiltshire Area Localism and Planning Alliance that the aim of this Plan - to create a framework for coherent future development based on Housing Market Areas through to 2036 - is undermined by the continuing absence of a five year land supply for housing.

"We believe you can do so much more to facilitate a shared action plan to tackle the issues preventing Wiltshire having a five year land supply for housing."

He added: "The statement by the Leader of Wiltshire Council in August 2020 (Councillor Phillip Whitehead said: "I think we’ve got a problem with developers not building out the planning permissions they’ve got"), must be followed up.

"In particular we would like the opportunity to propose a number of practical steps that will enable us together to more quickly achieve the aim that ‘The views of the local community, particularly those of Town and Parish councils will be important in considering potential benefits and impacts of proposals when planning applications are determined.’

"We therefore do join the group of over thirty town and parish councils calling on Wiltshire Council to take action on this issue."

Downton Parish Council has also supported the campaign. 

A statement from the council said it was "pleased to be supporting the WALPA campaign to gain support from Wiltshire Council and John Glen, as our local MP, to lobby the government to recognise the value of Neighbourhood Planning". 

It added: "After a lot of work and local involvement, Downton had its Neighbourhood Plan adopted in 2017 with a very high level of support from residents but the Government’s current method of assessing the amount of land available for permitted housing undermines Neighbourhood Plans that are over two years old. 

"The government says it is committed to local involvement but we feel that their commitment is superficial when it comes to allocating more housing in an already stretched community".

tp31102 Gypsy Liason.Pic 1 Sally Tucker Woodbury Gypsy liason officer with Cabinet of Planning Toby Sturgis at Wiltshire County Hall. Pics Trev Porter 31102 23rd March 10.

Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Planning, Cllr Toby Sturgis 

Cllr Toby Sturgis, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “Under the revised National Planning Policy Framework, the weight given to Neighbourhood Plans in arriving at decisions on planning applications, where the five-year supply of housing land is less than five years, is reduced if the Neighbourhood Plan is more than two years old.

“We will continue to work with Town and Parish Councils to ensure their Neighbourhood Plan remains an effective way for communities to have their say on developments in their area.

“We also await the outcome of the consultation on the Government’s white paper on the future of planning, which will consider changes to the National Planning Policy Framework in support of Neighbourhood Plans.”

John Glen, Member of Parliament for Salisbury, said: “It is vitally important that for public confidence to be retained in the planning system, the planning policies of the local authority are fully respected.

"I am aware of the views of some parish councils on this matter and am currently consulting with fellow MPs across Wiltshire to determine the most appropriate next steps.”

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