VOLUNTEER NEWS. PAL and Householder Consents: Opportunity or Burden? By Patrick Anderson

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1 Issue 11 May 2007 Unit 2, Fashion Street, London. E1 6PX Tel VOLUNTEER NEWS PAL and Householder Consents: Opportunity or Burden? By Patrick Anderson Not long ago, PAL participated in the Householder Development Consents Review, which was an opportunity for the Secretary of State to obtain feedback on a proposal to streamline the householder application process, reduce the bureaucracy and at the same time protect neighbourhood interests. I attended a couple of consultation meetings on behalf of PAL and at the time thought it was a tall order and could have significant implications for how PAL operates. Tall order because the policy makers were attempting to respond to - a significant growth in the number of planning applications for Householder Developments; and - the evidence that the existing system for handling these applications is not user friendly. Tall order also because so many other planning issues would have to be considered among them public and private interests, changes in conservation areas and to listed buildings and permitted development rights. If local planning authorities are relieved of these burdens where will they now be lodged? The cumulative reasons for wanting to revolutionise this aspect of planning are varied not the least of which is the effects that global social and economic impacts are having on cities not unlike what happened during the industrial revolution. In announcing the review the then SoS said over the last decade going back to about 1995 there has been over a 100% increase in householder applications which is clogging up the system at the local level and the rules are inconsistent and not designed for the current housing market. At PAL a significant amount of our work is responding to community concerns regarding householder development whether permitted development rights or through planning applications. At the local level those of us who have worked in enforcement know the reason for protected information and protected informants and why enforcement files are so closely guarded. On the one Patrick & Canan with PAL Volunteers Chris Hern and Mutyala Prakash at the National Planning Aid Conference 2007 in Newcastle: Report to follow next issue. hand home owners see an opportunity to invest disposable income into an area where dividends are almost assured given what has happened with house prices over the last twenty or so years; on the other hand there is a strong conservation and preservation culture that want to ensure that amenities, green areas, light overlooking and privacy are recognised. We anticipate at PAL that should HDCR become law, our workload will significantly increase in terms of enquiries, advice and signposting. How then can PAL position itself to address this anticipated rise is workload? Firstly, a massive public education campaign will be necessary which we are with appropriate resources, ideally suited to undertake. Secondly, conflicts will arise between different interests groups requiring mediation and resolution not dissimilar to those adjudicated by the Planning Inspectorate. And thirdly, some planning delivery grant funding could be diverted to the National Planning Aid system for best practice development. Again, I think that PAL should be in a position to use this opportunity to broaden its function in a changing planning environment. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PAL & HOUSEHOLDER CONSENTS: OPPORTUNITY AND BURDEN? 60 YEARS OF PLANNING, AND 108 YEARS OF THE TCPA UPDATE ON VOLUNTEER SURVEY COMMUNITY PLANNING PROJECTS: OUTREACH TO THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR EDUCATION OUTREACH LATEST NEWS WELCOME TO NEW MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER

60 years of Planning, and 108 years of the TCPA By David Waterhouse The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) was established by Ebenezer Howard as the Garden Cities Association in 1899.

Further land was later acquired at Welwyn, where the second Garden City was established.

The TCPA was instrumental in the new town movement of the 1940s and 1950s and also in the development of mark 3 new towns such as Milton Keynes and the town expansions schemes of places like

2 60 years of Planning, and 108 years of the TCPA By David Waterhouse The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) was established by Ebenezer Howard as the Garden Cities Association in Land was bought by Howard in Letchworth in Hertfordshire, and a town planned which combined the best features of town and country. Further land was later acquired at Welwyn, where the second Garden City was established. These settlements were unique in that they provided the air and light that people were not finding in the cities. The TCPA was instrumental in the new town movement of the 1940s and 1950s and also in the development of mark 3 new towns such as Milton Keynes and the town expansions schemes of places like Wellingborough, Thetford and Basingstoke. Over the last years, the TCPA has been a vociferous campaigner for the need for good planning, sustainable communities and community empowerment, which forms the bedrock of planning today. The independent voice of the TCPA carries with it a powerful message summarised in its three core objectives: to secure a decent, well designed home for everyone, in a human scale environment combining the best features of town and country to empower people and communities to influence decisions that affect them to improve the planning system in accordance with the principles of sustainable development Based in London, the TCPA undertakes a wide variety of project and policy work, conferences and events as well as producing Town and Country Planning, one of the longest running environmental journals in the world. Current projects, listed below, have a variety of outputs, including publications, briefing notes and policy statements. Urban Extensions and New Settlements funded partly by Communities and Local Government, this project looked at emerging good practice in urban extensions and small scale new settlements and identified several case studies that have come through the planning system over the last 20 years. Follow on work to this project will look at developing criteria for eco towns and linked new settlements. Research into garden city and garden suburb settlements and their future is ongoing, and phase 2 of this project has just begun. The purpose is to establish the quality and character of seven key locations: Letchworth Garden City, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Welwyn Garden City, Silver End Village, Upton, Northampton. A model urban extension? Bourneville, Wythenshawe and Port Sunlight. Supported by English Heritage and the Lady Margaret Patterson Osborn Trust, phase 2 of this work seeks to test recommendations derived out of the first phase of the work, which received conservation policies at local authority level and survey results from site visits. This project links in with a major conference that the TCPA is organising to celebrate the centenary of Hampstead Garden Suburb on 11 th and 12 th July. The TCPA has been leading the debate on the challenges relating to climate change and its impacts. Launching a mock Planning Policy Statement 26, with a range of cross sector support, the TCPA was instrumental in bringing to the attention of Government, the need for planning policy to reflect the impacts that climate change is, and will have on land use. Much of this work has also informed regional planning policy work, and the TCPA has been heavily involved in the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) Examinations in Public around the country. A new tool of the planning system, coming into effect after the 2004 Planning and Compulsory purchase Act, these new style regional plans have yet to be assessed as to their effectiveness. The examination into the draft South West RSS is due to begin shortly, and the TCPA will be taking a full part in a variety of matters from housing numbers to employment linkages. The TCPA is a membership organisation, and the benefits of this are wide and varied, attracting local authority planners, consultants, lawyers, solicitors and surveyors. The real strength of the association lies in its independent, thought provoking publications and conferences which educate and train planners and many other professions in current planning issues. For more information about the TCPA contact david.waterhouse@tcpa.org.uk David is Planning Policy and Projects Officer at the TCPA, an elected member of Planning Summer School and a Trustee of Planning Aid for London.

VOLUNTEER CASES Volunteer Survey Update A BIG THANK YOU TO PAL s VOLUN- TEERS who have been very considerate in filling in our Volunteer Survey Questionnaires.

The survey will help us update the database of all cases that volunteers have dealt within the past year and maintain this database as an up to date record of workload and annual throughput.

PAL also would like to thank Robyn Blackburn for her hard work when undertaking this survey.

3 VOLUNTEER CASES Volunteer Survey Update A BIG THANK YOU TO PAL s VOLUN- TEERS who have been very considerate in filling in our Volunteer Survey Questionnaires. PAL is carrying out its annual survey of all volunteers in order to develop a better understanding of the support you need in the delivery of PAL services to clients. The survey will help us update the database of all cases that volunteers have dealt within the past year and maintain this database as an up to date record of workload and annual throughput. The questionnaires were sent to 96 volunteers via . Additionally phone and postal survey have been carried out. So far, 77 of volunteers returned their completed questionnaires. PAL also would like to thank Robyn Blackburn for her hard work when undertaking this survey. EDUCATION OUTREACH Promoting Planning among young people in Tower Hamlets PAL is involved in two events to promote Planning as a career among young people in Tower Hamlets. On 26 th April, PAL ran workshops as part of Your Future in Construction alongside many other construction professions electrical, plumbing, carpentry, stonemasonry and others for the second year running following getting the thumbs up from young people who attended the same event in The event saw at least 25 young people from schools in Tower Hamlets take part in a model-based The Tide is Turning! TESCO SUPERSTORE APPEAL DISMISSED AT YIEWSLEY, LB HILLINGDON. PAL was approached in June 2006 by Ms Gaye Brown of the Yiewsley Community Involvement Group, for assistance in opposing a Tesco superstore approx 80,000 sq ft (7340 m2) on the edge of Yiewsley town centre. After initial advice and support from PAL staff, the case was passed to Volunteer Diedre Jackman. The Tesco appeal has recently been dismissed! Congratulations to Diedre, Gaye and all involved in this noteworthy success. neighbourhood design exercise, facilitated with help from a planner, with advice provided on ways of getting into the profession. PAL is also taking part in a high profile professional careers event that is being held at Tower Hamlets College for 90 sixth form students from Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney on 4 th July. The event is organised by the Construction Youth Trust and the emphasis is on professional careers. PAL will be running workshops for students alongside the likes of ARUP, SKAN- SKA, the contractor Wates and RyderHKS, a major Architectural practice. If you can help on 4th July, contact Adam on Southwark Young Peoples Panel Workshop A workshop was run involving young people from the Kickstart Youth Inclusion Project based on the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle in March, as part of a project to establish a youth planning panel in Southwark. The workshop focused on local issues, a model-based design exercise and an identification of priorities for a youth panel focused on planning and regeneration. PAL is planning to consolidate work on the project, involving the ten members recruited so far, with an event proposed to be held at the Imperial War Museum in late May or early June, to formally launch the panel. If you can help contact George or Adam on Southwark Young Peoples Panel Workshop

4 COMMUNITY PLANNING PROJECTS Outreach to the Voluntary Sector By Michael Parkes The publication and distribution of the leaflet on Community Planning and Involvement has generated a considerable amount of interest and outreach activity. DATE OUTREACH TO :- (No s attending) Riverside CDT and Waterloo CDT Roots and Shoots day long Planning Event (30) Brent CVS Winter Open Forum (50) Barking and Dagenham CEN meeting (12) Brick Lane Circle Seminar on Banglatown (15) Redbridge CVS Voluntary Sector Network (20) Waltham Forest CVS Community Buildings Event. Speakers Panel and PAL stall (40) CDT = Community Development Trust CEN = Community Empowerment Network Borough/ PAL Targeted Borough* LAMBETH * SOUTHWARK* BRENT * BARKING AND DAGENHAM * TOWER HAMLETS * REDBRIDGE WALTHAM FOREST * ARTICLE IN LOCAL NEWSLETTER Newham VSC Faith Forum (15) NEWHAM * Camden VAC Staff meeting CAMDEN (12) Newham VSC Community Forum NEWHAM * (18) Wandsworth CEN Roehampton Forum WANDSWORTH * CVS = Council for Voluntary Service VSC = Voluntary Service Council Additional leaflets have been sent to :- LB Bexley, Croydon CVS, Richmond CVS, Enfield CEN, Redbridge CVS, Newham VSC. Among the many expressions of interest have been calls to assist the Voluntary Sector and associated Community Empowerment Networks Plan together * with LDF planners in the current and future push towards greater co ordination between Sustainable Community Strategies / Local Area Agreements on the one hand and the Local Development Framework on the other. See :- DCLG : Planning Together LSP s and Spatial Planning a practical guide January Summer University News Building on our success in running courses at Summer Universities in 2005 and 2006, we have secured the involvement of two local planning authorities, Tower Hamlets and Islington, in running work experience programmes to supplement our courses. Tower Hamlets Planners are discussing involvement in both the summer university course running a site-based exercise to help students develop a planning brief and through taking on a number of students to gain experience of working alongside planners on a short programme later in the year. Want to get involved in this year s Summer Universities? Could your employer offer a short work experience placement? Contact Adam on

New Management Committee Member Welcome to Rachael Rooney, PAL s new Management Trustee. Rachel currently works for the City of London as a planning policy officer on the LDF.

5 New Management Committee Member Welcome to Rachael Rooney, PAL s new Management Trustee. Rachel currently works for the City of London as a planning policy officer on the LDF. She specialises in retail policy, but also leads on consultation events, as well as responding and keeping up to date with the London Plan. Previously she worked at Runnymede Borough Council in Surrey for 3 years, again as a planning policy officer, as well as doing research and data analysis. Tests of Soundness seminar Rachel is also currently studying for a Masters in order to attain her RTPI accreditation. She is the final year of a four year distance learning course so says she can finally see light at the end of the tunnel! Her dissertation this year has been based on volunteering for Planning Aid. She also sits on the RTPI London Region Regional Activities Committee. In her spare time (!), she likes playing sport such as football, and plays for a five-a-side work team. She also enjoys outdoor activities such as scuba diving, skiing and skydiving. A particularly interesting fact about Rachel is that she rides Penny Farthings and used to race in different events across Europe sometimes even in Victorian costume! and was once in the Guinness Book of Records for a Penny Farthing Stack (a row of penny farthings). This seminar went ahead on 26th April 07 and was well attended by PAL staff and volunteers. Thanks to Keith Holland (Planning Inspectorate), Nigel Eveleigh (Epsom & Ewell Borough Council), Will Upton (Barrister and PAL Volunteer) and Ian Bond (PAL Chair) who ensured that this event was a success. Got ideas for or want to speak at a future event or seminar? Jo at joannef@planningaidforlondon.gov.uk WELCOME TO NEW VOLUNTEERS Wai-Kit Cheung, Michael Boateng, John Drummond, Yogita Walunj, Adeniy Akintode, Mazharul Islam, Refat Fatema, Emily Crawford, Murtaza Poptani, Alison McKenzie, Mariane Jang, Rezaul Karim, Farrokh Hessamian and Jimena Alparo who were inducted on 26th March COMING SOON PALs NEW WEBSITE OUR CONTACT DETAILS Planning Aid for London, Unit 2, Fashion Street, London E1 6PX Regd. Charity No Co. Reg. No (England) info@planningaidforlondon.org.uk

DCLG Consultation on Basement Developments and the Planning System Historic England Submission

DCLG Consultation on Basement Developments and the Planning System Historic England Submission Historic England is the Government s statutory adviser on all matters relating to the historic environment