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Formby Civic Society

Formby Civic Society is a registered Charity (No. 516789)

Sefton’s emerging Core Strategy

Desmond Brennan – October 2011


Currently, planning applications are decided in accordance with the requirements of the saved policies of the Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP). The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires the Council to produce a new suite of planning policy documents, originally referred to as the Local Development Framework, although, because of changes that the Coalition Government is making, we will subsequently refer to this document as the Local Plan.


The present government is in the process of formulating radically new planning policies. Its Localism Bill is currently before Parliament (for a very brief introduction to the Bill, please see the January 2011 issue of the Formby Civic Society News and it has recently published the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the 52-page document which will replace the entirety of existing planning policy embodied in well over 1000 pages of Planning Policy Guidance and Planning Policy Statements.


The NPPF, although out for consultation until 17 October, has been made a material consideration by The Planning Inspectorate (see Advice to Inspectors, September 2011), which means that, despite its draft status, the NPPF has immediate relevance to decision making.


Sefton's Local Plan will have to conform to these new government policies which will be in effect by the time the Plan is assessed for soundness by the Secretary of State through the Examination in Public procedure.


At the heart of Sefton's Local Plan will be the Core Strategy and at the heart of the Core Strategy will be the estimated need for land for housing and employment throughout the 18-year period of the Plan to 2028 as set out in its Core Strategy Options Paper, which has just been consulted upon.


The Council has identified three preferred options from which a choice is to be made:

Stage

When

Approval of a Preferred Option and draft policies; the Cabinet will make a formal decision based on the evidence provided by the studies and by the formal consultation of a Preferred Option. The Cabinet will also need to approve a number of the key studies.

January 2012

Preferred Option Consultation

February to April 2012

Core Strategy Publication Draft - Approval by Cabinet

Summer 2012

Publication and pre-submission consultation

After September 2012

Examination in Public – The Core Strategy is required to go for a formal public examination. This will be carried out by a Government appointed Inspector.

Late 2012/Early 2013

Adoption – The Core Strategy is required to be  formally adopted by the full Council.

2013

Option 1

Urban Containment (development confined to within the urban boundaries)

Option 2

Meeting Identified Needs (natural decline in population)

Option 3

Stabilizing Sefton's Population (special measures required to maintain the borough's population at its current level of 272,000 people)

For a brief review of the options paper, and the Society’s representation to the Council on it please click here


The Council will now decide on its preferred Option, taking account of the approximately 2,500 representations it has received, and then proceed to a further consultation on the full draft Core Strategy.


The timetable for the remaining stages in the emergence of Sefton’s Core Strategy