Spring update: Arun District
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 13:12
The principle focus within the District remains on the evolving Local Plan, which is now running six months behind the original schedule. The second phase of public consultation into Arun’s draft Local Plan will now take place in the late spring of 2013 due to the number of responses received during the first phase. Critical features of the Plan include Economy, Housing and Transport. Local MP Nick Herbert has been actively involved in the debate in highlighting the deficiencies of the current process, in particular the fact that the Plan making process has been put ahead of an effective assessment of infrastructure capacity and sustainability. There is an urgent need to look at capacity, sustainability and infrastructure across a larger geographical area to take account of the overall scale and impact of potential development and reflect that in responses to the Plan.
There has been much criticism within the District about the lack of transparency and public engagement in the preparation of background documents. The National Planning Policy Framework should have achieved a paradigm shift in thinking over public involvement in the process but it has seemingly failed to deliver this.
A number of Parishes are working on Neighbourhood Plans but are frustrated by this lack of engagement in the wider planning process. Neighbourhood plans should be regarded as the starting point, part of the wider evidence base rather than an add on after the Local Plan has been prepared.
