Long Leys Neighbourhood Plan Now Underway!

LLRA is pleased to report that the Long Leys Neighbourhood Plan activity is now officially underway, with approval in June of a £9,000 support grant for the initial stages of the project. The project should last 18-24 months and culminate in a community-wide referendum to approve a Long Leys Neighbourhood Plan to be used by local planners when considering planning applications in Long Leys. The plan is likely to span 2021-2040.

Below is a brief report on project progress, what the next steps are and a summary of the initial focus areas for the project. Over coming weeks and months, LLRA will be requesting community input and providing greater detail on a variety of aspects of the focus areas.

Progress so far

• The Neighbourhood Plan Action Group has been set up to manage the project (See NPAG)
• A £9,000 support grant has been approved
• A Housing Needs Assessment technical support grant has been approved (See HNA)
• A planning consultant has been selected
• An initial community survey has been completed (See Summary)
• The initial focus areas have been identified (See below).

Next Steps

NPAG is currently developing a community vision statement, based on the survey feedback and further investigations leading from that. This will be provided to the planning consultant to develop plan objectives. Over the next two or three months NPAG will also be gathering evidence for the initial focus areas identified by the survey.

Initial Focus Areas

The initial areas listed below, along with no doubt many others subsequently as the project progresses, will be investigated to establish an evidence base to support the development of planning policy:

• A: Housing Needs Assessment: Establishing the quantity and types of housing needed to support growth in the Long Leys Community by 2040.
• B: Footpaths and cycle-ways: Improving safe and easy access into neighbouring areas and the city centre.
• C: A shop: Approaches to various retailers to establish what criteria would need to be met for them to consider operating a shop in Long Leys.
• D: Better infrastructure (doctor / dentist surgery): Establishing criteria for better access to these services.
• E: Community Centre: Exploring the need for a community meeting place.
• F: Reviewing the industrial area: Establishing criteria for businesses that would be compatible with a primarily residential area.
• G: Better care and protection for green spaces and wildlife: What assets do we have and how do we protect and enhance them.
• H: Maintaining the “green look” of the area: What design codes should be used by new housing and industry to maintain the best elements of the character of Long Leys.

It is important to stress that this does not mean that any specific focus area is certain to be in the plan; just that we will be gathering evidence on which to form a view.
Example: With a community of circa 1,431 people it is unlikely we could support a doctors surgery, as a single GP typically covers 3,000 people. However, if a community centre was available then this could potentially be used as a ad-hoc location for a health visitor and some health services.

Further detail will be published on each of the focus area as it becomes available.