Have your say on the plan for Cheltenham’s future

Residents’ are being asked to give their views on the new Cheltenham Plan which will help guide the development of the borough over the next 15 years.

The plan is a locally-focused document that deals with Cheltenham-specific issues such as supporting the town’s economy, the work of the Cheltenham Development Task Force, protecting and conserving the town’s built heritage, and recognising the importance of parks and gardens. It will be used in making decisions on planning applications and will be a key part of ‘place shaping’ Cheltenham.

Public consultation starts today (Monday 22 June) and runs for six weeks. There are two public events where planning officers will be available discuss this consultation in depth. The dates are Saturday 4 July 2015 from 12noon to 6pm at the Midsummer Fiesta, Montpellier Gardens; and Saturday 18 July 2015 from 10am to 4pm in the Regent Arcade.

To read and comment on the consultation documents, simply register using our online consultation webpage http://consult.cheltenham.gov.uk/. Copies of the questionnaire are also available in Cheltenham’s libraries and can be posted back to: Planning Policy Team, Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 9SA.

Tracey Crews, head of planning, says: “If you live, work or visit Cheltenham it’s important to have your say on how you believe the council should be working on this plan.

“We also want to hear your views on the location of new housing and local green spaces in the town; on brownfield sites in Cheltenham that you believe should be regenerating; or open and green spaces that deserve national level protection.”

Cllr Steve Jordan, leader of the council, says: “It’s important that we try to get the right balance between the need for homes and jobs while protecting the green spaces that make Cheltenham the place it is. Planning can play an important role when creating and safeguarding jobs in Cheltenham. The plan reviews the issues we currently face and proposes possible planning solutions to help us become more competitive, deliver more jobs and increase economic productivity.

“It’s vital that members of the public have the opportunity to engage with us in shaping this plan right from the start.”

The Cheltenham Plan will complement the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) by effectively ‘filling in the details’. It will not, for example, decide on the level of growth that should take place in the borough, or where major strategic developments should take place - that will be set out in the JCS.

Not all topics are covered by this plan. Issues such as climate change, transport, the town centre and heritage haven’t been forgotten, instead they will be consulted on at a later date.

Comments on the proposed scope of the Cheltenham Plan will be considered by officers and the comments will be used to inform the preparation of the draft Cheltenham Plan.

For any further questions, please contact the planning policy team on 01242 264328.

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For press enquiries contact: Kelly Carter, communications officer, telephone 01242 264154 or email [email protected].

 

Notes:
The council is very keen to bring forward the Cheltenham Plan as soon as possible. One reason for this is that the amount of weight that can be attributed to the Cheltenham Borough Local Plan Adopted 2006 (saved policies) and associated Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPGs)/Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and Development Briefs varies and, in the most part, will diminish over time.

It is therefore essential to produce a new, up to date, National Planning Policy Framework (PPF) compliant plan based on objectively assessed evidence to ensure that development within Cheltenham is ‘plan-led’ rather than ‘appeal-led’.

Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester are each producing their own 'district plan' for Cheltenham this is called the Cheltenham Plan.