Bath & North East Somerset Council
MEETING:		Planning, Transport & Environment Committee	AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
MEETING DATE:		25th January 2001
REPORT AUTHOR:
RESPONSIBLE OFFICER:		David Davies, Head of Planning Services
TITLE:	Peasedown St John Parish Design Statement
WARD:	Peasedown
BACKGROUND PAPERS: Wansdyke Local Plan (As amended Sept 2000) Village Design (Countryside Agency Publication) Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 : Development Plans
AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM / LIKELY TO BE TAKEN IN EXEMPT SESSION

1. SUMMARY

1.1 Peasedown St. John Parish Council has requested that its draft Parish Design Statement is approved as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Development Plan.

2. RECOMMENDATION

2.1 That the Peasedown St. John Parish Design Statement be approved (in so far as it relates to the Provisions of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990) as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Wansdyke Local Plan and the relevant provisions of the Avon County Structure Plan and the emerging Joint Replacement Structure Plan.

3. RESOURCE AND CORPORATE POLICY IMPLICATIONS (Where necessary, the views of the Council's Statutory Officers are reflected in the comments below)

3.1 Financial: None

3.2 Staffing: None

3.3 Equalities: There has been a broadly based community involvement in the preparation of the Parish Design Statement.

3.4 Economic:

3.5 Environment: The Parish Design Statement offers the opportunity to improve the quality of design in planning applications for new development.

3.6 Council Wide Impacts: Other parishes have begun preparation of or are embarking on the preparation of Village Design Statements.

4. BACKGROUND AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Village Design Statements (VDS)

4.1 The Government encourages local communities to prepare Village Design Statements (VDS). It sees a role for VDS's to influence the character and quality of new development by supplementing adopted Local Plan policies. Their purpose is therefore not a means of policy formulation nor to determine the location of new development. PPG12, para 2.12 states that a VDS should,

"..... offer a framework for engaging local people in constructive debate about ensuring that new development in their area fits its surroundings and is in keeping with local character. They can help developers to understand local views and perceptions at the outset of the design and development process, and thus enable them to promote new buildings that are likely to gain local support rather than generate uninformed opposition. Village Design Statements provide a tool to help long-term change, not prevent it."

Peasedown St John Parish Design Statement

4.2 Peasedown St John Parish Council has prepared a design statement for the whole of the Parish of Peasedown St John. This includes the settlements of Peasedown, Carlingcott and White Ox Mead. They have therefore called it a Parish Design Statement (PDS). It describes the historical development of the settlements; characteristic aspects of local building styles and design; and distinctive landscape features. It identifies areas that would benefit from enhancement. It also refers to crime prevention, noise pollution and streetscapes. A copy of the PDS is available in Members' rooms. It makes a number of recommendations which seek to influence the quality and character of new development in the village and seek to conserve those elements of the environment which contribute positively to the character of the village.

Supplementary Planning Guidance

4.3 The Parish Council has requested that the PDS is approved by Bath & North East Somerset as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to the Development Plan (the Structure & Local Plan). This would give it greater weight when planning applications in Peasedown are considered. The Government requires that SPG should be;

● consistent with policies set out in the development plan

● clearly cross-referenced to the relevant Plan policy which it supplements

● issued separately from the plan & made publically available

● subject to public consultation as part of its preparation , and

● reviewed regularly alongside reviews of the Development Plan.

4.4 On this basis, the Government encourages the approval of VDS as SPG by Local Planning Authorities. While the SPG does not have the status of the Local Plan in development control decisions, it may be taken into account as a material consideration. However, the Development Plan will always take precedent as required in the legislation (Town & Country Planning Act 1990, section 54A)

4.5 The PDS has been prepared by the Parish Council and the content reflects local views arising out of the community consultation exercises. The Parish Council has also liaised with the District Council in the preparation of the PDS. Whilst the Wansdyke Local Plan (as amended) has not been formally adopted, it has been approved for development control purposes in September 2000. I am satisfied that the PDS is consistent with and provides a useful supplement to the policies and proposals in the Wansdyke Local Plan (as amended) and the Avon County Structure Plan as they relate to Peasedown st John. It also satisfactorily supplements the emerging Joint Replacement Structure Plan. The PDS will however have to be reviewed in line with the emerging Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan.

4.6 The Parish Council has prepared a statement of the community involvement in the preparation of the PDS which is available in members' rooms along with a copy of the PDS. The PDS will now need to be made publically available. The Parish has confirmed that copies of the PDS will be available for sale or purchase if it is approved.

4.7 The PDS is an expression of local views and covers a range of issues. However, some of the local aspirations do not relate to 'development' and the use of land as defined under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990. Only those elements which are relevant to this context will be considered material in the determination of planning applications. The PDS cannot change existing polices but complements them insofar as it may assist to influence the character of the new development.

4.8 The PDS outlines the benefits of environmental enhancements such as the undergrounding of unsightly overhead cables. Bath & North East Somerset recognises the benefits of such aspirations but approving the PDS as SPG does not confer a financial obligation in relation to such schemes.

5.0 CONSULTATION

5.1 This report has not been sent to Trades Unions because there are no staff implications.