Current Consultation on Planning Documents

Introduction

The LTGDC has developed a Planning Obligations Community Benefit Strategy. This is to ensure that developments contribute financially and in kind towards the infrastructure that is needed in the London Thames Gateway area to support the developments that are coming forward for planning approval. These proposals have been developed in consultation with the Thames Gateway Executive at Communities and Local Government Department. As such they are part of the Department's drive to look for and develop innovative funding mechanisms.

Revised Planning Obligations Community Benefit Strategy - July 2007 (pdf, 100KB)
Standard Legal Agreement - July 2007 (pdf, 108KB)
Lower Lea Valley – Public Sector Investment Plan - November 2006 (pdf, 68KB)

Background

In 2006 the LTGDC commissioned Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and Sustainable Property Consultants to produce a report regarding a potential Section 106 Strategy for the LTGDC. This is available here:

Planning Obligations Community Benefit Strategy - Final Report, December 2006 (pdf, 1.9MB)
Annexes (pdf, 529KB)

Consultation took place in December 2006 and January 2007 on the consultants report. A wide range of responses were received, and these have informed the approach to planning obligations of LTGDC. A full summary of the consultation responses received and the LTGDC response to these comments was reported to LTGDC Board in April 07 and is available here:

Consultation responses - April 2007 (pdf, 116KB)

LTGDC has now produced a simpler document, the revised Planning Obligations Community Benefit Strategy incorporating many of the principles that were recommended by the consultants, and incorporating comments made by consultees.

Summary of changes made to strategy in response to comments made in previous consultation

• the first trigger date for payment of contribution has been changed from 25% on signing of legal agreement to 25% on commencement of development
• there is no standard charge associated with non residential development and these will continue to be negotiated on a case by case basis
• The arrangements for spending the money and delivering the infrastructure have been more clearly set out

LTGDC have also prepared a standard legal agreement that LTGDC will use as a basis for section 106 agreements with applicants.

In July 2007 the Board agreed to adopt the principles set out in the revised Planning Obligations Community Benefit Strategy (and appendices) as a basis for determining all current applications that fall to be determined by the Corporation, and applications that are received from 2nd July 2007 onwards.

Consultation

LTGDC would like your views on the detailed provisions within the strategy and the appendices with a view to refining the detailed approach where necessary. The LTGDC will review any comments received, and decide whether it is appropriate to amend and/or adopt the draft strategy in the light of these comments.

There is a 12 week written consultation exercise. The deadline for receipt of responses is 16 November 2007. Please make any comments in writing or by email to: Alice Leach
Planning Development Officer
London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
9th Floor, South Quay Plaza III
189 Marsh Wall
London, E14 9SH

If you have any questions about the strategy, please contact Alice Leach on 020 7517 4747 or email her on alice.leach@ltgdc.org.uk

We are also organising meetings with Developers, Landowners and other stakeholders in the Lower Lea Valley and London Riverside, and to explain the revised strategy and hear views. Please contact Alice Leach if you would like to attend a meeting.

What we would like comments on

Comments can be made on all aspects of the strategy. However, as consultation has already taken place on the strategy, and we have considered all comments received there are a number of principles that we are unlikely to review at this stage. These are:

• The principle of a tariff based system
• The discounted standard charge being set at £10,000 per unit in the Lower Lea Valley and £6000 in London Riverside until April 2009.
• The standard charge being set at £22,600 for Lower Lea Valley and £28,800 in London Riverside until April 2009.
• The discounted standard charge applying on a unit basis and for affordable and market housing.

We consider that it is important to be able to recapture the discount (to the standard charge) or allow for payments in excess of the discounted figures to be achieved in later phases of longer term developments, where developments can afford to do so. We would welcome comments on the approach we have proposed, including suggestions for alternative ways to recapture the discount.

Questions

In responding to consultation it would be helpful if consultees could specifically answer the questions below, as well as making any other comments they would like to make.

1. Is the strategy clear about where, when and at what level contributions will be sought?
2. Are the triggers for payment of the discounted sums (£10,000 and £6,000) satisfactory?
3. Are the arrangements for managing and monitoring the funds satisfactory?
4. Do the proposed arrangements provide the confidence, as far as is possible, that the contributions will help provide the necessary infrastructure?
5. Are there any detailed comments on the draft legal agreement?
6. Are there any detailed comments on the arrangements for recapturing the discount and the operation of the deferred charge?