Bath Preservation Trust regularly responds to public consultations for local and national changes to policy and legislation as well as proposed changes with potential to affect the special appearance and character of Bath. We additionally welcome the opportunity to be involved in pre-application consultations for planning applications and development schemes so we can have an input throughout the design process. Compiled below is a summary of our involvement in national and local public consultations in 2020, with particular emphasis on the new Planning White Paper.
Public Consultations 2020
💡 29th October 2020: Planning for the Future White Paper Consultation
The Planning for the Future White Paper proposed dramatic changes to the planning system, intending to streamline and modernise the planning process, bring a new focus to design and sustainability, improve the system of developer contributions to infrastructure, and ensure more land is available for development where it is needed. The proposals gave rise to serious concerns across many sectors regarding the inadvertent weakening of environmental, heritage and green space protection, loss of local democracy and community engagement, and resourcing challenges to deliver the proposed reforms within local authorities.
💡 5th October 2020: B&NES Installation of City Centre ‘Parklets’
BPT responded to a consultation from B&NES Hight Street Project Manager just weeks before the installation of the proposed ‘parklets’ and cycle storage in Kingsmead Square. The proposals are part of a wider scheme for the enhanced public realm and pedestrianisation of areas of the city centre, and the provision of outdoor seating and meeting spaces to comply with social distancing regulations.
💡 1st October 2020: Proposed Changes to the Planning System White Paper Consultation
This consultation sets out proposals for measures to improve the effectiveness of the current planning system. The four main proposals are changes to the standard method for assessing local housing need, securing of First Homes through developer contributions in the short term, the temporary lifting of the small sites threshold below which developers do not need to contribute to affordable housing, and extending the current Permission in Principle to major development.