22 May 2009, 09/110
Give your views on sites suggested for
development
West Lancs Council is inviting people to give
their views on two draft studies relating to housing and employment
land that are being undertaken by consultants.
The studies consider a list of sites drawn up
following a “Call for Sites” last year when local people and
businesses were invited to submit ideas for land and premises
that they thought might be suitable for housing development,
business use or a mix of these and other uses. The Council is
required by the Government to invite people to suggest development
sites in this way as part of its work to prepare the Local
Development Framework and all the sites submitted, however unlikely
they may be for future development, have to be assessed as part of
this process.
It must be stressed that even if a site has
been included in the list, it does not mean that the Council will
support its development in the future. At this stage these
are draft reports produced by consultants – eventually all sites
will need to be judged by the Council against relevant planning
policies and other considerations.
All the sites suggested for housing have been
factually assessed by the consultants in terms of their future
development potential in terms of such matters as site constraints
and access links. Once the studies are complete all housing and
employment sites will be scrutinised further by the Council through
preparing the Local Development Framework before any decision is
made on whether they be allocated for development. The views of
local people will be taken into account, along with relevant
planning policies.
The employment land report assesses the future
need for employment land in West Lancashire as well as suggestions
as to the future role of some existing employment sites and
suggested employment sites.
Ian Gill, project manager for the Local
Development Framework, said: “It is important to stress at the
outset that the sites listed will not necessarily be supported by
the Council for development in the future and these studies do not
allocate land for development. At this stage they are merely
suggestions that have been put forward by local people,
organisations and businesses and they have just been factually
assessed without regard to current planning policy constraints, as
required by the Government guidance. These are the initial
views of the consultants and these views are not necessarily
endorsed at this stage by the Council. For example some sites
submitted are currently in the Green Belt and, whatever their
development potential, it is far less likely they will be
eventually allocated for development due to this strict policy
constraint.
“It is important that people get involved in
planning and this is a great opportunity for local people to give
their views on whether the consultants have correctly assessed the
housing and employment sites and the future employment land
requirements for the Borough. This will help guide what land should
be allocated for different uses in future years and this will play
an important role in housing, business and industrial development
and in turn may help create jobs.”
West Lancs joined forces with Sefton and
Knowsley Councils last year to carry out the “Call for Sites” and
to commission the studies, with Halton Council also being involved
in the employment land study. The list of sites suggested was
handed over to independent consultants White Young Green and BE
Group to assess. Two draft reports have now been completed by
the consultants – one focusing on land for housing, and one on land
for employment uses - and the Council is inviting people to comment
by visiting the website - www.westlancs.gov.uk/planningpolicy.
There are two opportunities to give views:
- Comment on the employment land report from 28
May to 25 June 2009
- Comment on the housing land report from 4
June 2009 to 16 July 2009
More information including the reports and
details of how to comment will be found on our Planning Policy
pages or by calling 01695 577177 and asking for the LDF
Team. Comments received will be acknowledged in the
preparation of the final report.
Related information