UDP DEPOSIT NOV-DEC 1999, SUMMARY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND RESPONSES

UDP DEPOSIT NOV-DEC 1999, SUMMARY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND RESPONSES
Chapter – Community Services
RepNo	Name	Policy/Para Prop No.	O/S	Summary	Response	Recommendation
668	York Library Pensioners Club	GEN 26	S	Fully support the policy.	Support noted.
670	Clare Kakembo	GEN 26	S	Identical to 668.	Support Noted.
707	HM Prison Service	GEN 26	O	Fully support GEN26. However, the Prison Service is considering a series of development proposals within and around the prison which may be implemented in the period up to 2006. Therefore, there should be a specific policy on prison facilities (particularly Wandsworth Prison). This would be in line with Circular 03/98, which is not referred to in the list of Government Guidance taken into account in Appendix 4.	Support for policy noted. Reference to prisons can be added to the policy. A specific Part II policy on prison facilities can be added (see response to objection 708) as well as reference to Circular 3/98 to Appendix 4 listing Government guidance.	Add to the end of policy "The need for improvements to prison facilities will be taken into account." Add Circular 3/98 to list in Appendix 4. .
845	Bruce Mackenzie	GEN 26	O	Rewrite as follows: "The Council will make adequate provision to meet the demands and needs for a wide range of educational, social, welfare, health and community facilities. The Council will actively support local community /amenity / environmental groups, identifying further opportunities as they arise through participatory partnerships. Existing community premises will be protected". This is in line with the stated commitment to Local Agenda 21 issues.	Policy GEN2 states the commitment to partnerships with local businesses, residents, education/training organisations and other bodies. Para 262 also promotes liaison between developers and local groups. The plan is intended to be read as a whole.	Not accepted
236	Wandsworth Liberal Democrats	CS1	O	Delete ‘generally’ from first sentence.	This would remove the flexibility from the plan that is required by Government Guidance. The policy recognises that re-use may not always be practical.	Not accepted
390	Post Office Property Holdings	CS1	O	Should refer to the Post Office as a community facility in the policy as follows: "The loss of premises, or parts of premises, last used for community purposes including places of worship, meeting halls, social clubs and classrooms and Post Offices, will generally be resisted where the building and its location are suitable for continued use, unless adequate alternative accommodation is available locally, or replacement facilities (or an upgrading/extension of existing facilities) are proposed….".	Community uses are defined in paragraph 259 – in summary they involve activities run by the voluntary sector on a non-commercial basis. Whilst Post Offices do offer services to the public, they are classed in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as retail uses. They provide the same level of ‘community service’ as chemists (for example) and are therefore not considered in the same use as the other community facilities mentioned, which are places where communities meet and are involved in communal activities.	Not accepted
748	Labour Group of Councillors	CS1	O	Policy is not strong enough by inclusion of the word ‘generally’. Should be a very strong presumption against the loss of premises for community purposes. Supporting of ethnic communities through re-use of existing buildings will help promote heterogeneous nature of the borough. New buildings for community purposes should also be sought.	Please see response to 236.	Not accepted
1131	Consortium of Registered Social Landlords	CS1	O	Affordable Housing should be added to the list of potential alternative uses for sites where no local need or demand exists. This would assist in providing additional land for affordable housing where there is an identified need.	Para 261 highlights the fact that such sites are often particularly suitable for reuse as educational/childcare or medical facilities. Any proposals for change of use to residential will be considered in relation to the relevant change of use policies H6-H11.	Not accepted
223	Battersea Power Station Community Group	CS2	O	Policy should insist that every new development providing a quantity of jobs or housing should include a facility for community use.	The principles of the policy have been carried through from the adopted UDP and revised to reflect the issues that arise in practice. There can be a mismatch between the type and location of available facilities, market values and the requirement of community groups. There will be circumstances where it will not be appropriate (or necessary) to provide community facilities with such developments, and the wording of the policy reflects this.	Not accepted
474	Wandsworth Society	CS4	O	Add another sub-paragraph: "(g) The provision of on-site school playing fields and playgrounds can be made." Too much use of the commons and reliance on buses to provide for school recreation space.	This is largely a management rather than a land use planning issue. Not all school sports activities take place on commons and it is not appropriate or possible to insist on the provision of on site play facilities. UDP policy safeguards existing school play facilities and it would be unreasonable to oppose development if all other considerations are satisfied.	Not accepted
531	London Transport	CS4	O	Part (d) does not go far enough. The phrase ‘accessible by public transport’ is too imprecise as anywhere is accessible by public transport. Should say ‘highly accessible’ (as in TBE16) or ‘well served’ (as in GEN27, for example).	Accept. New facilities in particular should be well served by public transport, in order to satisfy objectives of sustainable development. Expansion depending on its scale should be appropriately served by public transport depending on the circumstances.	Amend policy by adding "well served" in front of public transport in CS4 (d).
404	National Health Service Executive London Region	CS7	S	General policy supporting improved health care provision is helpful.	Support noted.
607	NHS Estates	CS7	S	Support the proposals, particularly in the light of their proposed redevelopment of Springfield Hospital.	Support noted.
405	National Health Service Executive London Region	CS8	S	Support provision of health care within residential neighbourhoods.	Support noted.
793	National Health Service Executive London Region	CS8	O	NHS can play a part in providing housing land through information regarding any surplus land holdings. There should either be a new policy or an addition to CS8/CS9 recognising the development opportunities presented by former health service land that can be proven to be surplus to future health care requirements. Suggested policy: "The Council will support proposals for the re-use or redevelopment of any land that becomes declared surplus to NHS requirements during the plan period, subject to the alternative or new uses not being in conflict with other relevant policies and proposals contained elsewhere in the plan". There should also be a stronger accent on new or improved facilities in the most easily accessible areas. An addition to CS8 is suggested as follows: "The Council will support proposals for improvements to existing facilities and the provision of new facilities for local primary and community healthcare in those areas that offer greatest accessibility to the catchment population including town and local centres and residential neighbourhoods where…"	Policy BIN5 covers the acceptable re-use of former health facilities (amongst other uses) for residential purposes. Policies H6 and H12 do not preclude the possibility of such sites being redeveloped for residential uses.	Not accepted
406	National Health Service Executive London Region	CS9	S	See 405.	Support noted.
794	National Health Service Executive London Region	CS9	O	Identical representation to 793.	Please see response to 793.	Not accepted
1215	Wandsworth Friends of the Earth	CS10	O	Add: "New developments should also be sited and designed so as to promote access by public transport or on bicycle". Many in greatest need of medical services do not have access to cars. Car use leads to pollution; health centres should discourage car use. If less land is needed for car parking, it could be available for housing.	This policy refers specifically to the provision of facilities for people with disabilities, including reserved parking spaces for them. Other policies in the plan refer to the need for access to facilities by public, and other forms of transport.	Not accepted
391	Post Office Property Holdings	CS	O	Call for additional community services policy: Planning permission will not normally be granted for development which results in the permanent displacement of activities and uses which support essential community activities when these activities contribute to the character and function of the town centres, local centres and local parades and are located within them". Post Offices are non-competitive making them vulnerable to redevelopment by more competitive uses, including other A1 uses.	Please see response to 390. Also PPG12 states that ‘not normally’ policies are not acceptable.	Not accepted
708	HM Prison Service	CS	O	Additional policy required. The Prison Service is considering a series of development proposals in the period up to 2006. Given the importance of the prison in terms of community service and employment the new policy should provide clear guidance on those matters that the Council will take into account in determining Prison Service proposals and establish a presumption in favour of prison related development.	An additional policy can be added dealing specifically with prison facilities.	Add new policy and accompanying reasoned justification – "Policy CS11 The Council will support proposals for the provision of improved facilities at Wandsworth Prison subject to the nature and scale of any proposal, its compatibility with, and effect on, the character of the area (see policies TBE24-27), Metropolitan Open Land (see policy ON12) and neighbouring properties, including noise and disturbance, effects on car parking congestion and traffic generation". Reasoned justification – "Prison Facilities 275A. 275A Circular 3/98 (Planning for Future Prison Development) sets out advice to local planning authorities on the need to make adequate provision through the planning system for new prison developments. It states that the ongoing programme of prison development is of national importance.There is a need to provide for the growing prison population and tackle the consequent overcrowding of existing facilities and a need to replace outdated and inadequate facilities. 275B. 275B Wandsworth Prison in Heathfield Road is one of the largest in the country with a prisoner population in excess of 1,300. The prison is also a major employer in the Borough with over 650 employees. In line with Government objectives Her Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS) is drawing up proposals for improvements and development within and around the Prison. The Prison includes listed buildings and is located within the Wandsworth Common Conservation Area adjoining Metropolitan Open Land. Therefore any development proposals will need to have due regard to the character and environmental importance of this location."