Draft Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

Teresa Pearce Excerpts

Monday 12th September 2016 General Committees

[Teresa Pearce (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)]

This is a straightforward proposal. We support empowering local communities to influence proactively developments that affect their community. We have no objections to the Government’s referendum proposals, which we support. We recognise the importance of giving residents the right to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and to give them a stake in the development and growth of their local area. That will be important in helping to address issues, such as the housing crisis, that afflict urban and rural communities alike. People should get a say in choosing where they want new homes to be built, where shops should be provided, where offices and other workplaces should be located and, crucially, what those new buildings will look like and what infrastructure should be provided to service them. Those factors often lead to resistance to new development in some communities.

Too often, we have seen developers foisting ugly and inappropriate developments on communities, with no consideration given to the impact on local people or the local area. Established residents frequently complain that new developments have created pressure on infrastructure and services. At a time of pressure on such services, it is important that we avoid exacerbating the problem. The more we involve local people, the less likely that is to happen. We must take steps to avoid making matters worse through the impact of the new developments that we so drastically need.

The impact on the environment is another factor that can be addressed by being sensitive to the visual amenity where any new development is to be located. Time and again, developers pay little attention to the surrounding environment. Being responsive to that factor can be achieved by choosing a palette of materials that is sensitive and that blends in with the local area. Involving local residents is therefore a positive step in ensuring that developments reflect local need and complement the environment in which they are located.

As the Minister will know, Cabe—the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment team at the Design Council—offers free tailored support to community groups involved in neighbourhood planning. How often has the Cabe team offered that tailored support to community groups? Does his Department intend to promote this service proactively, so that it runs alongside the referendums? If local communities are to make informed decisions about developments affecting their community, involving Cabe will clearly be crucial.

Who will pay the costs of administering the referendums? If local planning authorities are expected to pay, will they be able to recover the costs from the developers? If not, will the Government provide any additional grants to reimburse local authorities, which have already seen their budgets severely stretched?

We have no objections to the proposed referendums, but I would be grateful to the Minister if he clarified the issues that I have raised this afternoon.