Liverpool Innovation Park in 'greater say' planning trial
The Minister for decentralisation Greg Clark has announced Liverpool Innovation Park as one of the ‘frontrunners’ for a trial scheme that will allow businesses a greater say in planning decisions.
Liverpool Innovation Park will join Milton Keynes central and Bankside, London’s West End, Manchester’s Trafford Park, Aldershot town centre, Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead and London’s South Bank.
Last minute changes to the localism bill will open up membership of Neighbourhood Forums and local groups will be empowered to draw up planning documents for their communities.
The move represents a victory for the British Property Federation which has argued in favour of the changes since the publication of the bill.
Greg Clark MP, minister of state for decentralisation, said: “We need to involve local companies more explicitly in neighbourhood planning decisions for business areas if communities are to get the most out of them.
“Businesses have access to skills, resources and expertise that can give a real boost to getting the right kind of growth underway in many areas. Business Neighbourhood Frontrunners are about residents and businesses shaping their neighbourhood together.”
The neighbourhoods will promote commercial development in various towns and parishes by granting a local development order, which would give specific types of development planning permission without the need to apply to the local authority.
For more complex developments, neighbourhoods will be able to grant outline permission itself, and only the details of the proposal will need approval.
Towns and parishes have been invited create draft development plans and draft local development orders for approval from Communities and Local Government.
Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “We have long argued that businesses and land owners are just as important to a thriving community as residents and have campaigned hard for them to have a real voice in local planning.
“Designation as a business neighbourhood should allow these areas to realise their enormous potential as locations where business can grow and thrive whilst providing employment to thousands of people.
“We hope that many other business neighbourhoods will follow their lead.”
For more information on Liverpool Innovation Park visit www.liverpoolinnovationpark.com/
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