Agenda item

To receive a presentation on local plan programme and to consider a proposal put to the panel for a series of workshops early in the new year to assist in progressing Enfield’s vision and policies. The programme will include an outline of the local plan structure.

The panel received a presentation from Helen Murch (Head of Strategic Planning and Design) setting out the next steps for Enfield’s Local Plan.

1.            Presentation

Helen Murch highlighted the following from her presentation: 

·         Putting the new local plan together to replace the previously adopted plan was a five stage process.  Work began in 2015 and the plan is currently at the preparation stage known as Reg 18. 

·         The work done so far has included the 2015 consultation, the big Enfield conversation in 2017, the 2018 issues and options consultation and a huge amount of other evidence-based work. 

·         Since 2018 there have been a number of major contextual changes.  These include, the climate change emergency, Covid 19, Brexit, changes to the planning system, growing importance of nature recovery, the stalemate with publishing the local plan, technological advancements, financial and resourcing pressures and deepening housing and health crisis. 

·         Plans should be based on the assessment of context, evidence and a powerful local vision. 

·         Enfield now needs to reset the process to take account of the changing context.  The Council needs to consider where we are now and where we want to get to.  They would need a plan with a clear spatial vision of what we want Enfield to be in 15/20 years and to develop spatial options and policies to reflect the ambitions of the updated vision. 

·         The next stage of the plan would be highly graphic, map based and would contain masterplans, localised concept plans, maps, photographs and infographics. 

·         The proposed forward programme envisions the preparation taking place between November and April 2021 with a draft plan submitted to the scrutiny panel in May 2021 and to Council for approval in June 2021.  It was hoped the council would be able to reach final adoption in 2023/4. 

·         All members will be invited to take part in private and confidential focussed engagement workshops early in the New Year. 

2.            Questions/Comments from Members

2.1      Welcome for the forward programme of consultation.  There were no plans to recreate the Local Plan Sub Committee, but officers did want to involve all members through a series of workshops before the report went to Cabinet and Council later in the year.  Anything discussed at informal Cabinet would be mimicked in the workshops.

2.2      There was stalemate on the Local Plan because of a lack of agreement between the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State.  This was creating a great deal of uncertainty. 

2.3      The Government had received over 45,000 responses to their recent planning proposals with lots of opposition.  This was not going to be resolved soon.  Further rounds of consultation were inevitable.

2.4      It was likely that the Council would have to bring forward the plan they were currently working on under current legislation. 

2.5      Face to face workshops would be preferred, but it was likely that this would be possible, because of the Covid situation and these would probably have to be virtual.  Officers were working hard to find ways to make them as interactive and effective as possible. 

2.6      The dates of the workshops would be notified as soon as possible.  They will be included in the weekly Members Newsletter.

2.7      The pandemic has brought home how important it was, especially for people’s health and mental wellbeing, to have access to green space.

The Chair summed up by saying this was an excellent development and that she looked forward to seeing the emerging policies later in the year.