Statement of Community Involvement April 2019

2.1 Planning policy is used by planners to assess planning applications, and others with influence over investment, to guide decision-making in a consistent manner. This is to ensure that it contributes to delivering the Council's strategic objectives or vision for the future in the most effective way possible. Chorley Council is working together with Preston and South Ribble Council to produce the Central Lancashire Local Plan. In addition, planning policy includes Supplementary Planning Documents, Area Action Plans, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule and any Neighbourhood Plans produced locally.

Local Plans

2.2 It is the duty of the Local Planning Authority to prepare an up-to-date Local Plan for its area. This can contain strategic policies, land allocations, designations and development management policies which are used to determine the outcome of planning applications. This plan, and its component parts, must be supported by evidence, be consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework (The Framework) and must also be drawn up with involvement from the community.

2.3 The Framework encourages early and meaningful engagement, and collaboration with neighbourhoods, local organisations and businesses as essential. A wide section of the community should be proactively engaged, so that Local Plans, as far as possible, reflect a collective vision and a set of agreed priorities for the sustainable development of the area. The plans that the Council is producing and their timetables for production are published in the Local Development Scheme which can be viewed at chorley.gov.uk/localplan.

2.4 The Central Lancashire authorities of Chorley Council, South Ribble Borough Council and Preston City Council are preparing one Local Plan to cover the period to 2036 and details can be found at Central Lancashire Local Plan website

2.5 When We Will Consult? When undertaking any formal consultation or formal adoption of a document, we will ensure that the most up to date Planning Regulations are complied with. As a minimum, consultation will include:

2.6 Who We Will Consult? Any consultation will be publicised as widely as possible to allow people, organisations, businesses and interest groups, an opportunity to be involved. There is also a range of organisations that we have a statutory duty to consult. These organisations include neighbouring authorities, parish councils, infrastructure providers and government bodies. We have a duty to co-operate with a number of organisations and Appendix 1 lists the statutory consultees and organisations which the Council has a duty to cooperate with. We are required to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis with these organisations. If any individual wants to be consulted on any planning policy documents they can provide their contact details for our database and will be notified of consultations.

2.7 How We Will Consult? The Council will adopt a range of consultation methods to ensure that as many people, businesses and organisations as possible can be involved in the process.

• All individuals, businesses, and organisations on the consultation database will be contacted directly;
• We will publicise consultations using methods such as leaflets, posters, the Council website, social media channels; press releases; a press notice, and displays in Council offices;
• Consultation events may be held in public places throughout the borough - these may include evening sessions;
• Officers will be available at the Council offices during normal office hours upon request to give information/answer questions;
• Consultation documents will be available to view at all libraries in the borough, at post offices in villages where there is no library and at Council offices;
• Where possible, officers will attend parish and town council meetings on request; and
• Consultation documents will be available to download from the Council's website.

Supplementary Planning Documents

2.8 Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) may be produced to provide further guidance and more detailed advice relating to specific topic areas. These have a more limited role, for instance, they cannot introduce new policy or change land allocations.

2.9 SPDs must be supported by appropriate evidence and accord with national policies. The Council will carry out at least one stage of consultation on an SPD before it is adopted. An SPD is not subject to an independent examination by a Planning Inspector.

2.10 When We Will Consult? The Council will prepare a draft SPD, based on the local policy, drawing from available national policy and guidance. The draft SPD will be subject to public consultation for a minimum of four weeks.

2.11 Following and changes the revised SPD and a consultation statement will be published at least 4 weeks before the document is formally adopted by the Council. The consultation statement will list all the responses received, with the Council's response, and any changes that have been made to the document as a result of the comments received.

2.12 Who We Will Consult? Members of the public, local businesses, organisations and interest groups from the Consultation database will be consulted, as well as statutory consultees as required in the Town and Country Planning Regulations.

2.13 How We Will Consult? The Council will adopt a range of consultation methods to engage with as many people and organisations as possible. These will be:

• All individuals, businesses and organisations on the Consultation Database will be contacted directly;
• The consultation documents will be publicised via press releases and will also be on the Council's website to download;
• Consultation documents will be available to view at all libraries in the borough, at post offices in villages where there is no library and at the Council offices.

Neighbourhood Plans

2.14 Neighbourhood Plans (NDPs) were introduced into the planning system through the Localism Act 2011 as an opportunity to allow communities to set planning policies to guide development in their areas (alongside the Development Plan). Consultation procedures for Neighbourhood Plans are set out in the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 and any amendments.

2.15 The responsibility to produce a Neighbourhood Plan lies with the qualifying body - a Parish Council, a Town Council or a Neighbourhood Forum in a non parished area. The extent to which a prospective forum has included residents, business and local elected members from across the neighbourhood area will be one of the factors the Local Planning Authority will consider in deciding whether to designate the group as the neighbourhood forum. An application for neighbourhood forum designation must include a copy of the forum's written constitution and a statement of how they will meet the conditions for designation as a neighbourhood forum set out in the Localism Act.

2.16 The qualifying body is responsible for consulting upon a draft Neighbourhood Plan before they
submit to the local authority.

2.17 When will we consult? When a Neighbourhood Plan application is submitted a consultation will occur on a Neighbourhood Forum Application Stage:

• This stage will be subject to a six-week consultation.
• When a submission Neighbourhood Plan is received by the authority a six-week consultation will be undertaken at this stage.
• A Neighbourhood Plan is subject to an examination by an Independent Planning Inspector, full details of the Inspector and examination process will be made publically available.
• A Neighbourhood Plan will also require a referendum, of which all details will be made publically available.

2.18 Who will we consult?

• There is a requirement to consult those who live, work and carry out business in the area.
• All those on the Neighbourhood Plan database who have previously responded and requested to be kept informed of the process.

2.19 How will we consult?

• All individuals, businesses and organisations on the consultation database will be contacted directly;
• We will publicise consultations using methods such as leaflets, posters, the Council website, social media channels, press releases; a press notice, and displays in Council offices;
• Officers will be available at the Council offices during normal office hours upon request to give information/answer questions;
• Consultation documents will be available to view at all libraries in the borough; at post offices in villages where there is no library and at Council offices;
• Consultation documents will be available to download from the Council's website

Consultation on the Statement of Community Involvement

2.20 The draft SCI will undergo a consultation period of 4 weeks. The Council will notify all statutory consultees and those who have a duty to co-operate. In addition to this, the Council will contact interest groups and organisations, and the consultation will also be publicised via the Council's website.

Consultation on the Community Infrastructure Levy

2.21 The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a standardised local levy that is placed on new development and used to help fund the provision and maintenance of necessary local and strategic infrastructure projects.

2.22 CIL Charging Schedule. The Council will provide details on the process for consulting on a new Charging Schedule as part of the Central Lancashire Local Plan process.

2.23 At all consultation stages for the CIL Charging Schedule, the Council will seek the views of statutory consultees, businesses and the local community. To do this, we will contact all those registered on the Council's consultation database, as well as publicising the consultation via press releases and on the Council's website.