Village Planning Phase 3 & Neighbourhood
Community Infrastructure Levy
Member Briefing
The Salon, York House
2nd February 2017
Village Plans
• Village planning is a key
commitment of Richmond
Council’s administration
• Listening Council that places
residents at the heart of
everything the Council does.
Village Plans
Phase 2
• The Programme has changed the way the Council relates to
local areas: created a village footprint
• All in One survey carried out in 2010
• Phase 1 of Village Planning built on the All in One
• Phase 2 of Village Planning, on-going, planning guidance for
each village is produced while the broader vision is refreshed.
(Commenced in 2013 until December 2017)
• Phase 3 of Village Planning, being piloted and evaluated in
three village areas
Village Plans
Phase 2:
What we have now:
• Village as a natural geography for engaging local communities
• Consultation and engagement at a local level is a key element of
Council’s business: Community News, Dementia Friendly
Villages, Community Roads and Pavement Funds.
• Village Plans hold diverse information on a very local level that
can help services: Resident’s priorities/ feedback, Local assets
that are in use, Hot topics
• Raised expectation externally that this is how the council will
continue to do business
Village Planning Phase 3
Vision for Village Planning Phase 3
“Communities have the confidence and capacity to support
each other, finding solutions to issues and challenges
which arise.
To enable this, Communities must be connected and
empowered; knowing who and what is available to them
and how to access services. In turn this creates a stronger
sense of resilience and pride in local place.”
Village Planning Phase 3
Strategy
• An approach to improve local connectivity and
efficiencies in the way the Council relates to
communities
• Using existing processes and assets to deliver Corporate
priorities by strengthening community response
• Matching delivery with what we have heard in VP
consultations
• Understanding of local need, JSNA: Asset mapping,
understanding gaps to improve connectivity
Village Planning Phase 3
Asset Mapping: Improving local connectivity and efficiencies
Asset mapping exercise is already underway
Maximise use of community assets
Includes:
• plotting physical assets (community centres, sports
facilities and parks)
• local resources such as community groups and
educational opportunities
• people-based assets like skills and volunteering
opportunities.
Village Planning Phase 3
Process and timeline:
Early Adopters (Pilots) are underway
Cabinet Report being drafted for 16th March 2017 Cabinet
Briefing and Consultation (2nd February 2017)
Consultation with Amenity and Community Groups at
Village Groups Forum (7th February 2017)
Village Planning Phase 3
Early Adopters
Hampton
Hampton’s YMCA White House will soon be commencing an
exercise class for people with physical disabilities.
Hampton Community Network is being brought together to
improve connectivity in the village.
Hampton Hill
Greenwood Centre was funded through Sports to begin an older
men’s exercise class to improve physical and mental well being
Village Planning Phase 3
Early Adopters
Barnes
Castlenau Community Centre have been partnered with
Barns Elms Trust to deliver a sustainable activity for Older
Residents.
Barnes Community Association have match funded £3000
to help make Barnes a Dementia Friendly Village.
Parks Service working alongside Barnes Village to create
the first Dementia Friendly Park.
Village Planning Phase 3
Early Adopters
Whitton
Community Links (CL) facilitate a Whitton Community
Forum (WCF) to help take forward ideas from the Village
Plans, including an Open Day for Community facilities.
CL facilitated funding application for resident to access
RFU Legacy Fund for completion of Marlow Pocket
Park Project, with a foot bridge.
WCF and CL working together to explore what Dementia
Friendly villages might look like.
Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy
What is the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
• CIL is a tool for local authorities to help deliver infrastructure to
support the development of the area through raising funds from
developers undertaking new building projects. The money can be
used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed as a
result of development. This includes new or safer road schemes,
flood defences, schools, hospitals and other health and social care
facilities, park improvements, green spaces and leisure centres.
• The levy may be payable on development which creates net
additional floor space, where the gross internal area of new build
exceeds 100 sqm. That limit does not apply to new houses or flats,
and a charge can be levied on a single house or flat of any size,
unless it is built by a ‘self builder’.
CIL continued
The Council’s CIL applies to:
• Residential development
• Offices inside central Richmond
• Retail (convenience)
• Retail (comparison) in central Richmond
• Hotels
• Care Homes
The CIL is supported by a list setting out infrastructure projects and/or
types of infrastructure that the Council intend to fund in whole/part
using CIL revenues e.g. strategic transport projects, education facilities,
community facilities, sports and leisure provision. It cannot be used
for providing affordable housing.
How does this differ to S106 planning obligations?
• Planning obligations are ‘site specific’ and used in mitigating the
impact of development e.g. affordable housing, provision of on-site
community facilities and open space.
• The local planning authority must ensure that the obligation meets
the relevant tests for planning obligations in that they are necessary
to make the development acceptable in planning terms, directly
related to the development, and fairly and reasonably related in
scale and kind.
• Any infrastructure on the Council’s CIL list cannot be funded
through S106 planning obligations.
What is Neighbourhood CIL?
This is the 15% proportion of levy receipts that should be spent on
priorities agreed with the local community in areas where development
is taking place. This increases to 25% in areas where a Neighbourhood
Plan has been formally ‘made’. It’s purpose is to support the
development of the local area, or part of it, by funding:
• The provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance
of infrastructure; or
• Anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that
development places on an area.
This could include, for example, environmental improvements (one-off
litter clearances, landscaping or open space works) new play equipment,
new library equipment, additional parking spaces or pedestrian crossing
facilities. It would not extend to, for example, feasibility studies for items
of infrastructure for which funds are not already available.
Why are we doing this?
• In local authority areas where there are no town or parish councils
the Council retains the NCIL proportion but is expected to engage
with the communities where development has taken place and
agree with them how best to spend the neighbourhood funding.
• There is a need to set out clearly and transparently the approach to
engaging with neighbourhoods using their regular communication
tools eg website, newsletters, etc. The use of neighbourhood funds
should therefore match priorities expressed by local communities,
including priorities set out formally in neighbourhood plans.
• The government does not prescribe a specific process for agreeing
how the neighbourhood portion should be spent. However, existing
community consultation and engagement processes are expected
to be used.
What does this look like in Richmond?
In Richmond the Council has collected a total of £59,354.38 from 5
developments between 2014-2016
The Richmond CIL report is uploaded onto the website by December
31st each year.
Following consultation and Cabinet agreement we will look to begin
spend and allocation in late Spring/early Summer 2017.
Principles behind the allocation and distribution of NCIL
in Richmond
1. The process maximises resources available to Villages
2. The process delivers projects which strengthen the infrastructure
in an area where development has taken place
3. The process supports a fair spread of resources across the borough
4. The process empowers communities to address need
5. The process enables the delivery of priorities identified in the
Village Plans.
Neighbourhood boundaries: challenges
NCIL regulations stipulate that funding must be allocated within the
neighbourhood boundary from which it was created.
Challenges with using the existing Village boundaries;
• As funding must be allocated within the neighbourhood boundary
from which it was created some village areas could experience
some, and potentially significant, impact of neighbouring
development but would not receive any benefit from NCIL funding.
• The regulations state that NCIL spend within an area must be
capped at £100 per dwelling. Therefore villages with a small
amount of dwellings would not be able to capitalise on the amount
of NCIL available.
The rationale for the suggested Neighbourhood areas
• Use of the Housing Delivery areas set out in the emerging Local
Plan as a starting point, as these give an indication of the level of
residential development that areas, which go wider than the village
plan areas, are likely to accommodate in the future.
• In addition to the above takes into account other types of
development that could come forward which may be liable to CIL.
• Takes into account areas where likely future development may have
impacts that go beyond an individual Village Plan area.
• Provides opportunities for projects to be undertaken which extend
across Village Plan areas.
Proposed neighbourhood areas/clusters
• Richmond and Kew
• Twickenham, St Margaret’s, East Twickenham, Whitton and
Heathfield
• Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington and
Strawberry Hill
• East Sheen, Mortlake and Barnes
• Ham and Petersham
Question: What are your thoughts on these clusters?
Criteria
We are proposing the following criteria for consultation. These criteria must all be met
for an application to be considered.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Must be addressing impact on an area directly/indirectly as a result of
development
Should address needs listed in The Richmond Story as ‘areas to improve: start
well, live well, stay well.’
Should have endorsement from at least 2 ward members
Must not have any ongoing revenue implications for the Council
Must be able to be started within the financial year ahead.
Must relate to Village Plans*
Estimated cost must not exceed the total amount available.
* Your application should make clear which ‘key issues’ section it is delivering against
within the Village Plan.
Criteria continued..
Additional weighting;
Whilst all applications must meet the criteria, priority will be given to those
applications which can demonstrate the following;
• The application directly addresses impact placed on the area by
development
• The application meets 2 or more needs listed in The Richmond Story
• The application has secured match funding. This could be in the form of
other funding, volunteer time and in-kind support
Questions:
- Is there anything missing from the criteria?
- What are your thoughts on the additional weighting, and the process of
scoring each application against each criteria?
Principles behind the process
Criteria
- Must accurately reflect the NCIL regulations
- Must be in line with community and corporate priorities
- Should be clear and transparent
- Should encourage applications which address need as well as popular
support.
Additional weighting
- In line with NCIL regulations the process must prioritise/give more weight
to projects which directly address impact on the village area which the
development is within.
- Addressing the Richmond Story ‘listed needs’ encourages projects to be
brought forwards for areas that will most benefit.
- Match funding demonstrates a level of investment in the project.
Proposed process of decision making
Once the deadline has passed, all applications will be considered by the Village
Planning Programme Board who will score the applications and put forward
recommendations.
A final decision will be made at the Village Planning Meeting with the Leader of
the Council, Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment, Business and Community,
Cabinet Member for Community Planning and the Voluntary Sector and the
Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene.
*If the total spend for applications exceeds the total amount available to the
neighbourhood then applications will be consulted upon with residents. Any public
consultation will be proportionate to the amount of NCIL spend.
Questions:
- Do you think there is another way to ensure that projects which directly
address need can be prioritised?
- Do you think there is another way to ensure projects are taken forwards in
areas of the community where resident support is not so easily galvanised?
Thank you