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Still not a single 'Community Plan' has been put forward in the entire life of the Island Development Plan.
They are documents which can be put together and submitted by any group in the community who want to help improve the future of an area they are involved with on the island.
It can express needs and aspirations of the local community and what they want to improve and achieve in their area, and it can cover all aspects of community life including services, facilities, roads, community safety, access to health services, playgrounds, open spaces, social clubs and many more topics.
Now, the Development Planning Authority is looking to encourage people to finally start submitting their ideas, after they have been able to do so for three years.
D&PA President, Deputy John Gollop said: “These Plans represent a great opportunity for local involvement in the planning and improvement of an area. It is really important though that the ideas for this come forward from the community involved and whilst Government can help support the development of a plan it is vital that the vision belongs to the community and has its support and commitment.”
A Community Plan must comply with, and cannot override, the provisions of the Planning Law and the policies of the IDP. It is also not a means of preventing otherwise acceptable development. Its scale and scope can vary depending on the purpose.
Once the Development & Planning Authority has approved the Community Plan, it will be taken into account when assessing planning applications and Development Frameworks, having had the input and support of the local community prior to the submission of a planning application.
How to submit a plan.
The Development & Planning Authority has also published Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on Community Plans. This provides clear advice on what a Community Plan is and how to go about preparing one. The SPG can be found here: gov.gg/planningpolicy.
If you belong to a community group which wishes to prepare a Community Plan for your area you are welcome to contact the Planning Service by email at Planning@gov.gg or telephone on 717200 to discuss the process and opportunities for support.
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