From, 'The Trees and Design Action Group' web site:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7KDEHU
"The Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) is a unique multi-disciplinary group of individual professionals and organisations from both the private and public sectors. They have come together under The London Tree and Woodland Framework to collaborate in achieving an increased awareness of the need to bridge the practicality gap that exists between the aspirations to include trees within the built environment and the practical requirements needed to achieve this."
Take a look at case study 6, "High quality landscape and mature trees confer a premium on housing developments"
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/london-tdag-6-high-value-housing-canonbury-park.pdf/$FILE/london-tdag-6-high-value-housing-canonbury-park.pdf
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Monday, 24 August 2009
Zero Waste Plan Consultation
From the Scottish Government's web pages:
Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan Consultation Covering Letter
Waste and Pollution Reduction Division
Deputy Director – Kim Fellows - Tel: 0131-244 - 0235
E-mail: kim.fellows@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
20 August 2009
COVERING LETTER FOR THE CONSULTATION ON SCOTLAND’S ZERO
WASTE PLAN
Scottish Government are developing a new waste plan for Scotland. This letter is to
inform you of the launch of the consultation on Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan. We are
inviting written or online responses to this consultation paper by 13th November
2009.
If you have any queries, please contact Emma Taylor (Email:
emma.taylor@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
or Tel: 0131 244 0312)
Background information and links to the consultation exercise can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/zerowasteplan.
Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan Consultation Covering Letter
Waste and Pollution Reduction Division
Deputy Director – Kim Fellows - Tel: 0131-244 - 0235
E-mail: kim.fellows@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
20 August 2009
COVERING LETTER FOR THE CONSULTATION ON SCOTLAND’S ZERO
WASTE PLAN
Scottish Government are developing a new waste plan for Scotland. This letter is to
inform you of the launch of the consultation on Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan. We are
inviting written or online responses to this consultation paper by 13th November
2009.
If you have any queries, please contact Emma Taylor (Email:
emma.taylor@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
or Tel: 0131 244 0312)
Background information and links to the consultation exercise can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/zerowasteplan.
"Cracks appearing..."
The following article appeared in 'The Guardian' on 170809:
'Cracks appearing in Prince Charles's dream village in Poundbury'
- Residents complain about poorly-finished homes
- Alleys and corners fuel petty crime, say locals
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/17/prince-charles-dream-village-poundbury
As always it is the range of comment that an article generates that APTSec finds most fascinating and illuminating.
Enquiry by Design, EBD
The Sunday Times reported yesterday:
"Prince of Wales turns to Joe Public, the architect"
Amongst the quotes were:
"The Prince of Wales has called for more democratic planning laws to allow the public to shape the design of new building developments.
His advocacy of “people’s planning” has already been adopted by the Scottish government after a meeting between the prince and Alex Salmond, the first minister. Now his advisers want the same approach to be formally recognised across the rest of the UK.
Charles believes that residents — instead of architects and planners — should have the biggest say in the development of new communities.
“People feel very disenfranchised by the planning system,” said Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation. “There’s been this notion that planning and architecture belongs to experts. If you’re not an expert, your view doesn’t count. We want to change that."
In Scotland, his foundation is designing six developments — at Cumnock, Ellon, Ballater, Cove, Banchory and Nairn. Last year the prince discussed rolling out EBD across the country with Salmond and Jim Mackinnon, Scotland’s chief planner, during a conference in Edinburgh jointly organised by the foundation and the Scottish government."
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article6806481.ece
Members of APT attended the EBD meetings in Nairn at the end of last year and APTSec found them most unsatisfactory. APTSec left with the view that this was yet another group of landowner/developer/meeting sponsors wishing to seek public support for plans to develop their land, and to seek to use the public support to lobby the local authority.
The public's ideas can only be taken on board if the 'bottom line' supports them. Meetings such as these also afford developers an opportunity to test run ideas to see what kind of opposition they will face or to identify groups which will be supportive. Then of course, pre-application consultation is part of our new planning act anyway.
The land; the countryside, the sea, the river walks and the views this area affords are all valuable and profitable assets. The support that we are asked to give to plans by our participation in the process is an asset too.
"Prince of Wales turns to Joe Public, the architect"
Amongst the quotes were:
"The Prince of Wales has called for more democratic planning laws to allow the public to shape the design of new building developments.
His advocacy of “people’s planning” has already been adopted by the Scottish government after a meeting between the prince and Alex Salmond, the first minister. Now his advisers want the same approach to be formally recognised across the rest of the UK.
Charles believes that residents — instead of architects and planners — should have the biggest say in the development of new communities.
“People feel very disenfranchised by the planning system,” said Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation. “There’s been this notion that planning and architecture belongs to experts. If you’re not an expert, your view doesn’t count. We want to change that."
In Scotland, his foundation is designing six developments — at Cumnock, Ellon, Ballater, Cove, Banchory and Nairn. Last year the prince discussed rolling out EBD across the country with Salmond and Jim Mackinnon, Scotland’s chief planner, during a conference in Edinburgh jointly organised by the foundation and the Scottish government."
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article6806481.ece
Members of APT attended the EBD meetings in Nairn at the end of last year and APTSec found them most unsatisfactory. APTSec left with the view that this was yet another group of landowner/developer/meeting sponsors wishing to seek public support for plans to develop their land, and to seek to use the public support to lobby the local authority.
The public's ideas can only be taken on board if the 'bottom line' supports them. Meetings such as these also afford developers an opportunity to test run ideas to see what kind of opposition they will face or to identify groups which will be supportive. Then of course, pre-application consultation is part of our new planning act anyway.
The land; the countryside, the sea, the river walks and the views this area affords are all valuable and profitable assets. The support that we are asked to give to plans by our participation in the process is an asset too.
"Your task, should you choose to..."
An APT postal mailing recently posed these questions to the Chairpersons and Secretaries of all the Community Councils across Highland:
"Will this Highland-wide plan provide you with the means to keep your schools open; provide you with the water, sewage and road infrastructure to see jobs created and much needed genuinely affordable housing provided? How will development in what the Council defines as ‘key areas’ affect development in your area?
NHS Boards and their Local Authority partners face a huge challenge as the population of Scotland ages markedly. How will this strategic Highland-wide plan relate to the regular expense of providing for health and social care services and fit with coordinated commissioning of patient services?
What land use will make your communities prosper whilst safeguarding your landscape and heritage for future generations?"
We then forwarded the Community Councillor's letter electronically to all the Elected Members in The Highland Council along with a note for them which stated in part:
"The Main Issues Report, MIR, should be a genuine opportunity for communities across Highland to look realistically and objectively at what the future may bring and to provide strong and positive comment with respect to the serious challenges that face us all. Indeed Planning Aid Scotland informed us that the Government is hoping that (in general terms) an MIR will provide an opportunity for members of the public to put forward their thoughts about any planning matter, from land allocation to the wording of planning policies.
Our treasurer has introduced the committee to the concept of deliberative public engagement as a means of helping to create better public services; promoting social cohesion and fostering a thriving community. The APT committee is concerned that given that there is a degree of expressed dissatisfaction with the planning process there is a very real possibility that the public will be deterred from participating in this important stage of the statutory development plan process on the basis of past negative experiences during non-statutory participation.
In the light of this we seek reassurance that Elected Members will be engaging with their communities to promote and ensure full and active community participation in the preparation of new plans for Highland.
Further, we seek reassurance that if the public once more makes an effort to respond to a consultation there will be sufficient time available, not only for the officers of Highland Council to consider the views put forward on the MIR, but for Elected Members to consider how the responses to the MIR across Highland have influenced the content of the Proposed Highland-wide LDP."
It is the Elected Members of Highland Council who will make the decision as to whether the content of the 'Proposed Highland-wide Local Development Plan' - which will be prepared based on the views expressed during the consultation on the Main Issues Report - truly reflects measured consideration of the views that were put forward.
During the forthcoming 10 weeks consultation on the HwLDP it is up to US to make sure that we tell our planning authority just how we feel about the consultation and just how much we care about making the places we live in the Highlands the best that they can be.
"Will this Highland-wide plan provide you with the means to keep your schools open; provide you with the water, sewage and road infrastructure to see jobs created and much needed genuinely affordable housing provided? How will development in what the Council defines as ‘key areas’ affect development in your area?
NHS Boards and their Local Authority partners face a huge challenge as the population of Scotland ages markedly. How will this strategic Highland-wide plan relate to the regular expense of providing for health and social care services and fit with coordinated commissioning of patient services?
What land use will make your communities prosper whilst safeguarding your landscape and heritage for future generations?"
We then forwarded the Community Councillor's letter electronically to all the Elected Members in The Highland Council along with a note for them which stated in part:
"The Main Issues Report, MIR, should be a genuine opportunity for communities across Highland to look realistically and objectively at what the future may bring and to provide strong and positive comment with respect to the serious challenges that face us all. Indeed Planning Aid Scotland informed us that the Government is hoping that (in general terms) an MIR will provide an opportunity for members of the public to put forward their thoughts about any planning matter, from land allocation to the wording of planning policies.
Our treasurer has introduced the committee to the concept of deliberative public engagement as a means of helping to create better public services; promoting social cohesion and fostering a thriving community. The APT committee is concerned that given that there is a degree of expressed dissatisfaction with the planning process there is a very real possibility that the public will be deterred from participating in this important stage of the statutory development plan process on the basis of past negative experiences during non-statutory participation.
In the light of this we seek reassurance that Elected Members will be engaging with their communities to promote and ensure full and active community participation in the preparation of new plans for Highland.
Further, we seek reassurance that if the public once more makes an effort to respond to a consultation there will be sufficient time available, not only for the officers of Highland Council to consider the views put forward on the MIR, but for Elected Members to consider how the responses to the MIR across Highland have influenced the content of the Proposed Highland-wide LDP."
It is the Elected Members of Highland Council who will make the decision as to whether the content of the 'Proposed Highland-wide Local Development Plan' - which will be prepared based on the views expressed during the consultation on the Main Issues Report - truly reflects measured consideration of the views that were put forward.
During the forthcoming 10 weeks consultation on the HwLDP it is up to US to make sure that we tell our planning authority just how we feel about the consultation and just how much we care about making the places we live in the Highlands the best that they can be.
Friday, 21 August 2009
APTSec PC Issues
Hi Folks
The reduction in blogging activity has been due to major home PC issues.
I am currently working in our local library
I really hope to be back soon.
What timing!
The reduction in blogging activity has been due to major home PC issues.
I am currently working in our local library
I really hope to be back soon.
What timing!
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
A few Statistics
We are constantly striving to find successful ways to obtain information and to communicate with our members, our professional contacts and the wider public.
Besides good old fashioned letter writing, telephone calls and face to face meetings we also use e mail to a significant extent.
I have carried out a quick scan of my e mails and in just 38 months of being involved with planning issues since the announcement of the plans for the A96 Corridor in Inverness, APTSec has kept approximately:
3500 planning related 'sent items'
670 electronic newsletters
4500 received items
The majority of these items were generated, I suspect, since the formation of APT in late 2007.
Besides good old fashioned letter writing, telephone calls and face to face meetings we also use e mail to a significant extent.
I have carried out a quick scan of my e mails and in just 38 months of being involved with planning issues since the announcement of the plans for the A96 Corridor in Inverness, APTSec has kept approximately:
3500 planning related 'sent items'
670 electronic newsletters
4500 received items
The majority of these items were generated, I suspect, since the formation of APT in late 2007.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Rural Homes for Rent
I came across this interesting item whilst continuing my research on the subject of affordable housing:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ruralhomesforrent
"The Scottish Government's Rural Homes for Rent Pilot Scheme funds additional new-build affordable housing for affordable rent in rural Scotland. Grant funding is targeted at landowners in pressured rural housing markets where registered social landlords have been constrained in meeting local housing and homelessness need.
The Scottish Government received 67 initial expressions of interest to participate in the scheme from landowners across 16 local authority areas. Following assessment for eligibility, 49 applications were shortlisted and invited to submit detailed proposals of which 25 were received.
The proposals received sought grant funding totalling over £11 million to provide a potential 166 new houses. This meant the pilot scheme was over-subscribed, and the Scottish Government could not support all applications which met its criteria within the available budget of £5 million.
The submissions have been subject to an assessment by the Scottish Government in consultation with the relevant local authorities. As a result it is supporting 12 pilot projects which require grant support of almost £5 million to provide 75 new properties for rent in rural Scotland."
Details of the successful applications are now available here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ruralhomesforrent
"The Scottish Government's Rural Homes for Rent Pilot Scheme funds additional new-build affordable housing for affordable rent in rural Scotland. Grant funding is targeted at landowners in pressured rural housing markets where registered social landlords have been constrained in meeting local housing and homelessness need.
The Scottish Government received 67 initial expressions of interest to participate in the scheme from landowners across 16 local authority areas. Following assessment for eligibility, 49 applications were shortlisted and invited to submit detailed proposals of which 25 were received.
The proposals received sought grant funding totalling over £11 million to provide a potential 166 new houses. This meant the pilot scheme was over-subscribed, and the Scottish Government could not support all applications which met its criteria within the available budget of £5 million.
The submissions have been subject to an assessment by the Scottish Government in consultation with the relevant local authorities. As a result it is supporting 12 pilot projects which require grant support of almost £5 million to provide 75 new properties for rent in rural Scotland."
Details of the successful applications are now available here:
Countdown to Highland-wide Local Development Plan Consultation
Only 2, sorry, 15 days to go to the formal consultation (but the Councillors draft is available on line).
Future of APT blog in the balance
Yes folks we are in danger of succumbing to serious, and I mean serious, fatigue!
There is now so much information!
Large numbers of major planning applications are to be considered in the area - with one major application being resubmitted with a fresh consultation; planning appeals on major developments; the forthcoming consultation on the new Highland-wide Local Development Plan - all within the context of the bedding down of the new Scottish Planning Act.
It has become necessary to consider how we use our limited resources and one solution may be to discontinue the blog. It may be that a blog of this kind is not an effective way of engaging with large numbers of members of the public, and will only generate 'specialist' interest.
We have recently prepared a large postal mailing to all Chairpersons and Secretaries of Community Councils across Highland which will be followed by a mailing to our Elected Members and then our MP / MSPs. The mailing is to enocourage maximum interest in the HwLDP consultation from the public's perspective. The availability of the blog has been noted on this mailing and it is hoped that further interest will be generated.
So far we have 205 visitors from 8 countries to this blog with 5 followers. To put this into perspective; my teenage daughter's blog receives approximately 186 visitors from 17 countries with 18 followers.
What you think?
Knowledge gives us the power to present our views objectively and informatively. Are we in information overload at a time when we need to become more knowledgeable?
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
HwLDP 'Main Issues Report' Committee Draft
The following is now available on the Highland Council Web site:
Highland Wide Local Development Plan
Main Issues Report
August 2009
COMMITTEE DRAFT
http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/7F6C984F-EA2D-4832-A572-9EABFACFF870/0/Item8BookletA.pdf
Highland Wide Local Development Plan
Main Issues Report
August 2009
COMMITTEE DRAFT
http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/7F6C984F-EA2D-4832-A572-9EABFACFF870/0/Item8BookletA.pdf
All Change with the Development Plan
Please see below for brief details of the latest posts on the Highland Council planning blog.
The main thing to note is the Change of dates
IMPORTANT - CHANGE OF DATES
There has been a change to the start date of the Highland wide Local Development Main Issues Report. The consultation on the Main Issues Report officially begins on the 31st August 2009. This is later than the previous post on this blog (see below). It is also now intended to run the consultation for a longer period of 10 weeks from that date.
4th August - Architecture and Design Scotland
Malcolm met with Eric Dawson and Diarmid Lawlor of Architecture and Design Scotland to review progress with the preparation of an updated City Vision
30th July - Meetings with Scotish Government
Malcolm met with David Liddell and Stephen Hall from the Scottish Government's Duilt Environment Directorate on 30th July to discuss progress with the Main Issues Report. They had previously been sent a draft of the document to comment on, and the meeting dealt with this as well as wider issues on working with other agencies. The meeting was positive, although a number of changes were recommended. These have now been incorporated where deemed necessary into the Committee Draft version of the document which will be considered by PED Committee next week (12th August)
New Guide to the Planning System in Scotland
Just located on the Scottish Government web site:
'A Guide to the Planning System in Scotland'
"This guide is for you if you:
• want to know more about how the planning system
works; or
• want to apply for planning permission.
This short guide can’t cover every question. You can
find out where to get more information at the end of
this document."
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/280699/0084576.pdf
'A Guide to the Planning System in Scotland'
"This guide is for you if you:
• want to know more about how the planning system
works; or
• want to apply for planning permission.
This short guide can’t cover every question. You can
find out where to get more information at the end of
this document."
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/280699/0084576.pdf
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Few days break
APTSec is taking a short break until the 11th August.
Please do keep watch for the papers (on the council's web site under minutes and agendas) for the Planning, Environment and Development Committee meeting on the 12th August.
Why not think about going along to the council meeting?
Please do keep watch for the papers (on the council's web site under minutes and agendas) for the Planning, Environment and Development Committee meeting on the 12th August.
Why not think about going along to the council meeting?
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