PROTECTING GREEN SPACES

Talk by Nuala O'Neill on 27 October 2020

Following Club Member John Cheetham's talk in August on 'Preserving and expanding urban green spaces', some members suggested we invite Nuala O'Neill along for her perspective on this

Nuala, a Planning Consultant opened her presentation with a picture of Hawthorn Crescent in Selsdon where the green in front of the houses was recently the subject of a very contentious planning application. Planning consent was refused.

So why are local authority-owned green spaces particularly vulnerable to the threat of housing development and how can we protect them? Firstly, there is high demand for housing, and secondly local councils need the money. To safeguard a space in the local plan, it needs to be designated in one of three ways, as a Local Open Space, an Asset of Community Value (ACV), or as a Village Green. We must all BE VIGILANT.

When a new development plan comes to light and a piece of land looks to be at risk, people rush off organising campaigns, etc, but you first need to find out if the land is protected. For instance, if the land is already registered as an open space but changes are proposed to the local plan, make representations so that proposed changes are discussed in full, both locally and in front of the government inspector who makes the final decision about what goes into the plan.

If the land is not protected in the local plan, make every effort to ensure the land gets protection from development as soon as possible. First try to get an AVC designation. Land is a social asset, and a community group can apply for this. Normally it is dealt with by officers who will take independent advice. Try to get protection before there is a possibility of development. This protection lasts for five years. It is a useful tool for protecting land or buildings of great importance to communities, such as pubs, community centres, allotments, and village halls. This designation was introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

As the designation of land as a village green could have a very onerous requirement on the owner, village green registrations are notoriously hard to get. It is suggested that this is the plan of last resort.

As a Planning Consultant, Nuala said that time and money spent on reconnaissance is rarely wasted. Residents tend to go off on various tangents, but a Planning Consultant will have information at their fingertips.

Finally, Nuala stressed again, BE VIGILANT.

The Vote of Thanks was given by John Cheetham.