What’s the Local Plan?
The Local Plan might seem a remote, technical document which isn’t relevant to you, but in fact it’s hugely important in deciding how many houses will be built in the community, how they will be laid out and what they should look like. It will also set rules to protect our environment, green spaces and built landscape from inappropriate development. We know, from the recent survey, that these things are important to you. The document also covers affordable housing, and how this can be delivered. It’s a really important document – and Westmorland and Furness Council have announced an ‘early conversation’ survey to get our views on what the new Local Plan should contain.
Think of planning and you might think of complicated rules and red tape, but planning is about the future and future generations, it’s about people and communities and it’s about all of us working together to make sure that the right building and development, of the right design and quality, happens in the right place, at the right time, and the impact of any new development is well managed.
We do this by preparing a Local Plan, which looks ahead 20 years to the year 2045. It carefully considers how many new homes and workplaces our area needs to continue to thrive, while also protecting our local and historic character and special landscapes, green spaces and environment. The Local Plan doesn’t just set out rules – it seeks to make our area better, and is a key tool in helping us to identify and address the challenges for people and wildlife arising from climate change.
https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/localplan/
Why it’s important to share your opinions
The views of the community are critical input into the Local Plan, and our opinions, thoughts, concerns and ideas can help shape the future. Being part of that conversation is important.
How to Contribute
There will likely be various stages at which we can share our opinions. At the moment there are a few ways to join in.
The Early Conversation Survey 2024
You can complete the early conversation survey here: https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/planning-policy/wandf-local-plan-early-conversation-survey-2024/
The Local Plan doesn’t just set out rules – it seeks to make our area better. For example, by reducing the environmental impact of new development, building affordable housing, helping our wildlife and reducing flood risk. It also helps improve our infrastructure (including roads and cycleways, schools, drainage systems, facilities for recycling/waste management and community facilities). It identifies the infrastructure needed to support development and shows how it will be accommodated and provided for.
The Design Code Survey 2024
The second way we can contribute is by filling in the Design Code survey here: https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/planning-policy/westmorland-furness-design-code-survey-2024/
This gives us an opportunity to share local knowledge and ensure the character of our villages is preserved – for example the local ‘Greystoke Pink’ sandstone is specifically mentioned in the existing design code, which says this of the Eden Valley:
A unifying feature of this area is the use of sandstone as the dominant building material. This varies significantly in colour, from the orange/brown of the St. Bees sandstone along the Pennine foothills, the salmon pink and red of the Penrith sandstone, to the beautiful grey/pink of the sandstone from Greystoke and Appleby. The widespread use of this material for buildings and boundary walls lends the whole area an immediate and distinct character.
https://www.eden.gov.uk/media/1457/eden-design-summary.pdf
Westmorland and Furness Council say this on the design code survey:
It’s important for local people to share their views on the Design Code because once adopted the document will be used to help shape developments in the future. It’s crucial that the Design Code team can make sure the Design Code is both technically fit for purpose and reflects local views.
Join in the Online Conversation
The third and final way you can contribute is by joining in on the online ideas message board here: https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/planning-policy/conversation-message-board/
There are already some ideas including making swift bricks mandatory in all new builds, and making a footpath/cycleway from Eamont Bridge to Yanwath.
Surveys Close on 9th September
Please consider joining in the conversation and making your views heard at this early stage. The surveys close on the 9th of September!
Key links
To supplement the above, here are links to the current Eden Local Plan, and Design Guide:
The majority of houses that have been built and are being built in the Penrith area over the last few years have been top end designs based on young high earning families. there is definitely a need for starter homes for young people and retirement bungalows for pensioners like me. My wife and I own and live in a 4 bed detached house and I am 73, we’d like to sell it in the next few years and downsize to a 2 bedroom bungalow but they are few and far between either to buy or rent.