At the B&NES Cabinet Committee on the 2nd of December, Councillors will be asked to formally endorse the Placemaking Plan. Whilst the Council’s ‘Core Strategy’ sets out the broad and strategic approach to the level and location of new development throughout Bath and North East Somerset, the Placemaking Plan focuses more on the specifics, including detailed design principles and development aspirations and updating the planning policies used in determining planning applications.
Bath Preservation Trust has been actively engaged in the development of the Plan providing a detailed response to the Options for sites consultation, and we have had an ongoing input into the development of Conservation Area Character Assessments which are a necessary evidence base for the development of site specific policies. We will now participate in the next stage of public consultation, an Examination in Public. The Planning Regulations require that each of the statutory consultees, general consultation bodies, public and business community to be invited to make representations on whether the Plan meets the four tests of ‘soundness’ (positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy) and is legally compliant.
This consultation will take place over a six week period between 16th December 2015 and 3rd February 2016. We urge our members to engage in this process as it will be the final opportunity to challenge or endorse the soundness of the plan. Once adopted, the Placemaking Plan will ensure a robust and up to date planning policy framework is in place for the period up to 2029.