Writing policies for the Windsor Neighbourhood Plan Feedback

Writing policies for the Windsor Neighbourhood Plan Feedback from a recent workshop or two Claire Milne Windsor Neighbourhood Plan Co-chair

Recent WNP activities � Our priority outcome at this stage was to create the Vision, objectives and likely policy approaches for our area of Windsor. � Understanding the process - Planning Aid workshops: Writing an NP Policy & Strategic Environmental Appraisal, Character Assessment workshop, Vision workshop. � How to structure the analysis. � We have learned lots! This is some of it. .

Evidence gathering Research and fact finding Community engagement Identify issues and options Create vision Objective Policies and proposals Reasoned justification Source: Planning Aid 3

What the examiners are saying: “During the Hearing, Thame Town Council emphasised that the vision and objectives reflected the views of the community, derived from the consultation process. I note that there is a clear link between the objectives and the policies and that this is carried through the whole of the plan” Nigel Mc. Gurk – Thame Examination Report Source : Planning Aid

Understanding the Strategic Policy Context • National Planning Policy Framework � � Adopted Local Plan ◦ 1. The RBWM adopted Local Plan 2003 - saved policies only. Not all of these are strategic or relevant to our NP. Emerging Local Plan ◦ BLP Preferred options 1 st Consultation Jan 2014/2 nd Consultation expected in early 2015 ◦ Site Specific Allocations – options consultation Jan 2014 and any changes in the 2 nd consultation Adapted from Planning Aid Source 5

Towards a Vision. . Community Consultation � 2012 to 2014 WENP, CWNP & WNP surveys � Including post it surveys, launches, vision day & CWNP/WNP Survey monkey survey � Including our own consultation on the Borough Local Plan Preferred options sites � Ad hoc business community and other community group comments

Towards a Vision. . . What the community told us. Main issues for the WNP area of Windsor: � Parking � Traffic congestion � Historic buildings & preservation of character and heritage � Appearance and architecture of the town � Access to and facilities of open spaces � Helping small/start up business � Loss of employment sites � Loss of types of shops � Cycling routes and facilities

Towards a Vision-aims/objectives Strengthen protection for remaining and important heritage buildings � Encourage new development to have regard to nature and character � Improve the visual impression of the town through improved quality of architecture and views � Improve & maintain amenities and community facilities for resident � Create a heart for West Windsor � Seek ways to reduce congestion � Seek ways to improve parking availability � Improve open spaces facilities and accessibility � Encourage diversity of retail businesses within the suburbs � Seek ways to encourage small and start up businesses � And lots more! �

Towards a Vision-A structured SWOT analysis. Area SWOT analysis Ø Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats analysis of different areas of Windsor Ø This process illuminates issues, likely threats, weaknesses or different areas of Windsor. Ø Thereby helps to think about likely NP objectives and opportunities for NP policies and possible sites for development not in the adopted Local Plan or emerging BLP. Ø SWOT extract handout Ø Summary SWOT will capture all of the issues

Towards a Vision-writing policies � Need to understand what is possible in terms of planning policy � Many things identified are outside the scope of NPs. (e. g. some Transport issues) � It may be possible to initiate projects in conjunction with other stakeholders � Looked at examples from other NPs (Ascot, Thame, Norland, Arundel, Woodcote etc) � Lots of helpful templates from Planning Aid � See “Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy”

Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy example What is the comment from the community engagement, weakness or opportunity / what is the real issue? Comment: Too Can it be addressed by Planning policy Is there an existing planning policy relevant to this issue? Policy wording Justification/ Evidence Adopted Local Plan policies S 7 -Local shopping parades S 8 -Corner shops village stores S 5 -Major retail developments should be in the town centre. Emerging BLP policies RET 4 Support community shops Require appropriate marketing evidence for change of use from shops to other uses. The change of use of premises used for A 1 purposes to A 2, A 3, A 4, A 5 uses will be supported provided that the change of use would not result in significant harmful impacts on the amenities of neighbouring residents” b) The NP will nominate “Assets of Community Value”. The existing numbers of particular use classes in the specific area– e. g. We have counted the number of shop fronts of different types/use classes along Dedworth Road (A 1, A 2, A 3 etc ) to get data to use as evidence for future proposed changes. Other a) Business & many coffee retail Use shops, betting classes are shops, fast food relevant here. outlets/loss of May be able banks to use Article Issue: Loss of 4 powers to balance between modify types of retail permitted provision/loss of development essential shops rights change and community of use. facilities Objective: To b) Can create retain a balance an “Assets of of retail uses of Community retail premises Value list” in and the NP. neighbourhood shopping amenities

Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy example What is the Can it be comment from addressed by community engagement/ what is the Planning Other? real policy Issue? Comment “Stop knocking down old buildings” Issue: Loss of heritage buildings that define the sense of place Objective: preserve the authentic character of the streets/concerns about design. Yes. Conservation Appraisal has local list but this is not extensive and misses many buildings considered important by local people. Is there an existing planning policy relevant to this issue? Policy wording Justification & Evidence Yes. but existing policies don’t cover buildings not in conservation areas or of national listing quality. But we can add to the local list of nonlisted heritage buildings, and put conservation policy in our NP to give it more legal weight. Townscape assessments relevant. “The NP will develop a local list of non-listed heritage buildings”. “Development affecting heritage assets must pay special regard to the need to conserve and enhance their setting and any special architectural or historic features of significance” (Exeter St James). Conservation Area Appraisal. List of significant buildings lost over the last 10 years. Photos. Criteria for local listing. Townscape assessments

Writing a Neighbourhood Plan policy example What is the comment from community engagement/ what is the real Issue? Can it be addressed by Is there an existing planning policy relevant to this issue? Policy wording Justification & Evidence Comments: Decrease road congestion Not directly, Major maybe indirectly. employment developments RBWM strategic are strategic and & spatial covered in the planning e. g. adopted Local Park and Ride, Plan and new roads, new emerging BLP. bus or rail facilities. WNP can work on projects with other stakeholders to deal with these issues, and find indirect ways to alleviate them. Project –better highways management “To work with RBWM highways management department and any other interested stakeholders to find ways of improving traffic congestion and parking availability in our area” (Ascot NP) Traffic statistics, traffic impact assessments. Issue: Increasing volume of North South through traffic, peak Legoland traffic, town centre traffic. Objective: Consider ways to improve road congestion Plannin g policy Other? Transport working group set up.

Evidence gathering Research and fact finding Community engagement Identify issues and options SWOTs Area Character assessments Other NPs for examples Create vision Objective Policies and proposals Reasoned justification 15

Towards a vision - Vision Consultation � To go to all households and businesses in our area. � Have we got the vision, objectives and policy approaches right? � Do we need to change them? � Gives us chance to revisit our Vision, objectives and refine our policy approaches and wording before we finalise the Draft Plan.

Thank you