The Westbury on Trym Society
Proud of our past ... shaping our future
Proud of our past ... shaping our future
POLICY - PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
CORE OBJECTIVES
The Westbury-on-Trym Society (WOTSOC) Constitution includes a commitment to ‘further the maintenance, improvement and development of the environment and amenities of Westbury-on-Trym..’ . A core role in achieving this aim is to develop and express views on proposed planning and development related changes (object, support or modify), and ultimately to propose and champion changes on behalf of the Westbury-on-Trym community.
ASSUMPTIONS
· Westbury-on-Trym has a rich heritage, an environment, and amenities which are worth preserving and developing.
· WOTSOC has the potential to be one of the significant community voices for commenting on Planning proposals and Policy.
· There is a Government driven desire to move local Planning processes towards a more proactive approach involving dialogue between Developers and the Communities affected before formal Planning Consent is sought.
POLICY
The Society will:
· Monitor and comment on Planning Applications and other proposals for development which could affect the Westbury Community in terms of,
- commercial viability of the area,
- quality or quantity of amenities available to the community,
- visual or functional appropriateness,
- quality of the local environment.
· Take into account the opinions of individual members regarding significant planning related changes but will always seek to develop a balanced response which recognises the following points,
- the built environment has always been subject to change,
- change is often beneficial and not always harmful,
- the reality of imposed national and local targets (eg for new housing),
- trade-off between community gains and losses may be unavoidable,
- the balance between conservation and sustainability.
· Critically review the environmental sustainability of all types of development, and generally support developments which enhance or have minimal impact on the environment.
· Take a full ‘lifecycle’ approach to each case it pursues,
- Develop response to Application or proposal
ð Monitor implementation for compliance or enforcement issues
ð Identify lessons learned and feedback into future responses
· Seek and promote early consultation with developers, other proposers of change and planning policy makers.
· Facilitate public meetings if necessary where the scale of a development or impact is particularly significant or wide ranging.
· Subject to Committee approval seek co-operation with other bodies with similar local planning and development interests.
· Subject to Committee approval seek membership of other planning and development bodies, which have a Bristol-wide mandate, in order to understand and influence area and region based planning policy and strategy.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
SCOPE
Impact:
Any proposed change to, or development of structures, facilities, infrastructure or Planning Policy of a scale or nature which could have significant impact on the appearance, amenity value, commercial viability, environment or historical value as might be viewed by the Community.
Where the impact is on individuals rather than the community, the Society will generally limit its actions to guiding those individuals to relevant sources of information and help.
Boundaries:
[a] Planning related proposals within the geographical boundary of the Westbury-on-Trym Ward.
[b] Planning related issues in areas outside but adjacent to the boundary which could have a material impact on Westbury.
[c] Bristol City Council central Planning proposals and Policy changes which could have a material impact on Westbury.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
CATEGORY AIMS & CONSIDERATIONS
1.1 Commercial – change of use: Is the proposed change visually and functionally appropriate to the location?
Does the proposed change increase or maintain the economic viability of the village and ensure a balanced commercial offering?
1.2 Commercial: New build As Change of use +
If Greenfield development is proposed – what is the justification for loss of undeveloped space and what is the community benefit offset?
2.1 Domestic: New build Encourage immediate enforcement of the Code for Sustainable Homes at Level 4 (or the highest practicable Level commensurate with building start date).
Encourage retention of family dwellings to reflect the general nature of the Westbury area.
Does the aesthetic design and occupation density match the area?
If Greenfield development is proposed – what is the justification for loss of undeveloped space and the community benefit offset?
2.2 Domestic: Conversions and extensions Respond by exception only, for example if alerted to unique issues such as impact on the Conservation Area, or significant changes to a ‘landmark’ building or feature.
3. Change to or loss of Open Spaces and Amenities: includes land accessible to the community and private land which is visually appealing or part of the ‘green lung’/wildlife corridor.
Scrutinise in detail taking into account,
- current condition and usage
- reasons and evidence for change
- balance between community losses and gains.
Organise a public meeting if justified by significant issues
4. Transport infrastructure and services: Generally take a reactive approach.
Guiding principles:
- minimise traffic through-flow in residential areas
- increase footfall in commercial districts