Greenwich Council to look at new sites for homes, shops, factories and more
After more than two years delay Greenwich Council will finally move forward with drawing up plans on land usage across the borough.
Documents before a Regeneration Committee show consultation will be launched on a Site Allocations strategy in coming months. The authority started the procedure then stopped three years ago. This was the original timeline; it didn’t reach stage two:
No mention of the delay is included in the council’s document for councillors. This is often the case and reading through various reports one would be forgiven for thinking everything is wonderful.
The Site Allocations document is crucial for meeting the needs of a growing population and planning just where homes, retail and employment will be located. Without it short term mistakes can have long term consequences and mistakes perpetuated – such as retail sheds in areas where mixed-use would better meet housing demand.
Government cuts have hit planning department funds yet Greenwich Council are not dedicating as much income towards the Planning Department from the Community Infrastructure Levy as is permissible. That means fewer staff and delays in drawing up plans.
When consultation begins you’ll here about it here.
You can’t actually use CIL to pay for Council employees to produce a Local Plan or a component of it e.g. a site allocations document.
It can pay for more planning staff enabling secondments
Not sure where you’re getting that idea from – but local authorities can’t use CIL to hire more planners. Also, you’ll be pressed to find a local authority that has sufficient CIL funds to pay for the infrastructure projects on their lists, let alone all this additional expenditure…
There are no shops (or any retail) planned in GMV area – just select & “save”