New Strategic Plan for the Greater Nottingham Area a Big Win For Lib Dems
Councils are required to set out strategic policies to address local priorities for development. Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe Borough Councils along with Nottingham City Council are developing a joint Strategic Plan, which sets out the policies which will help guide future development across their combined areas.
The plan looks, at how Greater Nottingham’s longer-term development needs can be met up to 2038, supported by more detailed policies which will be developed in each Council’s own individual Local Plan. The plan outlines the approach to meeting housing need and includes housing targets for each Council area based on the Government’s standard methodology. The Councils have written a ‘Preferred Approach’ document which will form the basis of the Strategic Plan. Importantly for Broxtowe there are no proposals to remove any land from the green belt in the borough.
Lib Dem Councillor David Watts said:
"We have an important duty as councillors to ensure that we protect the environment of our borough and also to make sure that the housing needs of the area can be met. We have worked really hard over the past four years to ensure that we maximise the opportunities for brown field sites, which means that in this new Strategic Plan there are no proposals to take any land our of the green belt in Broxtowe. This is exactly what we were aiming for and is a big win for Broxtowe Lib Dems."
Being able to plan for future development needs such as housing and economic growth is important to the prosperity of local people. Planning for development will also provide a vital stimulus to the local economy, which will help the area recover from the impact of Covid 19, by encouraging investment, which helps to create jobs and supply chain business.
Once approved, the document, along with other planning policies, can be used for guidance by developers and planners as part of the planning process.
Consultation responses to the Preferred Approach document will feed into a full draft of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan, which will aim to:
- Have the right number and types of new homes, which are built in the right places and meet the needs of our local population and diverse communities;
- Protect, enhance and increase the area’s natural resources, blue and green infrastructure, landscapes, heritage and biodiversity;
- Ensure new developments address the causes and effects of climate change, assisting each council’s ambition to become carbon neutral;
- Create vibrant and viable city and town centres, which are sustainable and are places where people want to live and work;
- Provide the right conditions for economic development which generates new jobs and economic growth, and to enable strong, safe and healthier communities.
Approval of the Strategic Plan is a matter for each Council and the Preferred Approach document has been considered by each Council’s Cabinet, endorsing the consultation to commence on 3rd January 2023 for six weeks.
Once the consultation has closed, comments will be considered and a summary of responses made available along with the Councils’ response. A draft Strategic Plan will be published next year when there will be a further opportunity to comment.
Full details can be found at www.gnplan.org.uk