Walsall initiative involves communities in planning
Date Published : 09 June 2006
Walsall Council set to give the final green light to a highly-praised initiative that will help communities and voluntary organisations across the borough get involved in the planning process.
The council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how and when the authority will involve communities and other key stakeholders in developing planning policies and planning applications.
And the Royal Town Planning Institute has recognised Walsall’s excellent approach to producing the document as ‘best practice in their recent guidance to other councils.
Following months of consultation with partners and communities, Cabinet members have been asked to adopt the final version of the document when they meet on Wednesday 14 June.
The SCI provides a blueprint for how different communities will be involved in influencing planning decisions.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “Walsall Council is committed to involving communities in decisions that impact on their everyday life. I’d like to thank the council officers involved for their hard work in producing this excellent document
“This is just one of a whole raft of measures that will allow the council and our partners to really get to grips with how everyone across the borough can participate in shaping the planning process.
“It demonstrates our commitment to taking Walsall residents views into account on planning matters, as this really impacts on people’s lives in the appearance of their neighbourhood.”
In the next few months and years Walsall Council will be preparing a Local Development Framework (LDF) to replace the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) in stages.
The SCI is part of this new framework. The LDF is intended to simplify the planning system and make it more responsive to people's needs and hopes for the future.