Planning a basic guide

Councillor Chris Stephens Chair of Shaw and Crompton Parish Council Planning Committee wrote the following article. I have posted it on my web site as I think it will be of interest to you all.

Several residents have expressed concern regarding the general lack of information about planning processes within Oldham Borough.

It can be disconcerting to find that a neighbour, business, school, farm, or other organisation in your neighbourhood has applied for a planning application which may range from a simple house extension up to a major property development or significant business change/ implementation.

Concerns over privacy, loss of amenity, noise, additional traffic movements, parking and environmental issues often have a significant impact on resident’s lives.

The process of finding out about a planning application can appear to be disharmonised; the purpose of this article is to provide some basic information on the planning process.

Information about larger planning applications generally appears in the local press, particularly for those which may have a major impact on the local neighbourhood.

Applications which affect fewer residents, such as home or shop extensions, business change uses, are not necessarily widely publicised. Generally Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (OMBC) will send out notification letters to properties adjacent to the proposed application.

The letter will contain details of the planning application together with information where the plans may be inspected (usually the Civic Centre) and dates by which objections may be forwarded to OMBC.

However, OMBC are not obliged to send out letters but they do have an obligation to post a notice about a residential planning application adjacent to the property; this is generally a pink coloured notice often placed upon a lamppost outside the property.

If you see such a notice within your vicinity please ensure you take the time to read it. If you are concerned, or need advice, about the application it is recommended you contact a Parish or OMBC councillor about the issue as soon as possible.

All planning applications within the Parish of Shaw and Crompton are notified to the Parish Council.

A list of such applications is on display in the window of the Parish Council Office at 1 Kershaw Street East, Shaw.

Applications are on display for only about 1 week prior to the Parish Council Planning Committee meeting.

Residents are able to make representation to the Parish Council; public participation is encouraged as views from people living and working in the area are important to the decision making process.

Dates and times of meetings are displayed in the Parish Council office. Members of the public wishing to speak on a planning issue should advise the clerk of the Parish Council prior to the meeting.

The Parish Planning Committee does not make a final decision on approval or rejection of an application but it makes a recommendation to OMBC on acceptance or refusal based on planning laws as well as taking into consideration any public representations.

OMBC may take into account the Parish recommendations when making their own decision on the application.

Members of the public are also permitted to make a presentation to OMBC Planning Committee on planning applications although only one person may speak against the application and only one may speak in support. Additionally a time limit is imposed on speakers at Borough planning meetings.

For further information on the planning process please contact Cllr Chris Stephens: 0775 296 8201 or the Parish Office 01706 847590.
Also further information on the planning process is available at:
http://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200351/planning

Crompton Cemetery – new community toilet facility

Hopefully the above will be open for public use from Monday October 28th.

Toilets will be open Mon-Thurs 08:00am – 15:00pm and Friday 08:00am – 12:00pm

The signage is being made and should hopefully be ready, for the end of this week.

The cemetery staff has all been briefed and will clean and also open the toilets as per the notice which will be displayed in the portacabin building window.

“This is excellent news for users of the cemetery; the lack of any toilet provision has been a major problem for years, stated local Lib Dem Cllr Howard Sykes.

“I am very pleased the council have now progressed my request to open under the community toilet scheme those already on the site. It is shame we cannot get them open at the weekend but this is a major improvement,” he said.

Questions (allowed max of three) I asked at Oldham Council meeting Wed 11th September

Using the Airport Bumper Dividend to Support those affected by Welfare Reform:

I am sure that the Leader of the Council will join me in welcoming the recent news of bumper dividend payments being made to the ten Greater Manchester authorities by the Manchester Airport Group.

Will the Leader be willing to enter into a discussion as to how best Oldham can utilise this wind-fall, particularly in looking to identify further practical measures that can be funded to support the poorest citizens of our borough who are adjusting to reduced benefits following welfare reform?

One example that could be emulated, from a neighbouring authority, is establishing a discretionary hardship fund used in exceptional circumstances to support first time Council Tax payers in arrears.

Will he consider establishing such a fund and any other steps that might be of benefit to these hard pressed citizens?

Council Letters that are Threatening or Lack Clarity:

We have tonight heard a question from an understandably very angry lady, a pillar of her local community, who has demanded a public apology after being accused in threatening and condemnatory letters received from this authority about claiming the single person’s Council Tax discount under false pretences whilst supposedly providing shelter for her grandson.

I myself have recently resolved a case involving the authority dealing in a high-minded and dictatorial fashion with a young mother – a constituent of mine – who in trying to provide for her family through taking up employment got into a tiswas with her claim for Council Tax Benefit. The lady in question received correspondence that was so unclear that a polymath would struggle to understand it.

Later we have a Cabinet Question from my Liberal Democrat colleague, Councillor Philomena Dillon, about a case in which a Crompton constituent, was accused of accruing a Council Tax debt on a property that no longer existed at a time when she was no longer living in the borough.

I am all for the authority throwing the book at those who wilfully claim things to which they are not entitled or cheerfully seek to avoid paying the money that they owe, but these are just three instances where the authority has acted overzealously and in haste to follow up red herrings.

It is fortunate indeed that the recipients of these letters were sufficiently strong willed and had the presence of mind to ask for help.

My worry is that in the near future that one of my constituents, or those of colleagues, who may be vulnerable or isolated will receive a similar letter – and that for them it will take them over the edge.

So to help forestall that eventuality I would like to ask the Leader tonight to outline for Council what checks his administration is prepared to introduce to ensure that the letters this authority sends out accord with the known facts and that they are clear and respectful to our electorate, the people that we ultimately serve?

And will he also please refer this matter for urgent investigation by the Overview and Scrutiny Board with a report brought back to Council this municipal year?

It’s All Bullocks:

I am sure the Leader will agree with me that the significant financial settlement made upon the authority and the recent departure of the former Chief Executive of Housing 21 has drawn a line under the very unsatisfactory construction phase of the PFI2 housing regeneration project.

My colleague, Cllr John McCann, as former lead member for housing, spent many an hour trying to resolve the numerous problems and delays associated with the refurbishment of bungalows and construction of new group schemes for the older residents of this borough.

And I am sure Cllr Hibbert has done the same.

But for the record, will the Leader agree that overall the tenants renting the properties that are managed on behalf of the Council by Housing 21 receive a good service, and that in fact the blame for the earlier debacle should really be placed squarely at the foot of Housing 21’s so-called construction partners, Bullocks?

The important thing is that despite the Bullocks our elderly are safe, comfortable and as content as possible within these properties.

While there are always exceptions all my information says they are.

Will the Leader join with me in offering assurance, especially to the relatives of those in Housing 21 properties, that this is in fact the case?

Howard Sykes questions and replies on transport matters at the Council Meeting 17th July

Please find attached the responses to the questions/observations asked by Councillor Sykes at the last Full Council meeting relating to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Joint Authority Minutes.

1. Can a further pay station be placed at Derker Tram Stop?

The additional pay station has been ordered and will be installed shortly.

2. Further to the use of companies with high interest rates using the Bus Station to solicit customers can they be kicked out?

TfGM derive income from a number of licensed companies who are allowed to use Bus Stations.

The Chair of the Bus Network Committee has agreed for a report to go to the next meeting to consider the list of those presently authorised to use Bus Stations and whether they are suitable companies.

3. Not one person has used the subsidised route to Kingsway Business Park via Royton and Sholver. We should be looking at better connectivity throughout the Borough.

TfGM are consulting with Oldham’s transport officers to promote usage and increase numbers on this service.

This service will shortly be reviewed and will include in that process new stopping points including Shaw.

ELECTRICITY CABLE LAYING OLDHAM ROAD, SHAW

I have just received the contractors expected programme for completion of the above works:

The joint bay currently open in the grass verge on Blackshaw Lane near to its junction with Balmoral Avenue has been backfilled and is awaiting top soil to be placed.

The joint bay at the top of Blackshaw Lane near to its junction with Perth Street will have the last joint completed today and should be backfilled today, with final reinstatement taking place Wednesday/Thursday.

The joint bay currently open on Oldham Road near to its junction with Otmoor Way should have the jointing complete Wednesday.

A second joint bay will be opened on Oldham Road in the vicinity of no. 152 this morning. All the cables should be pulled through to this bay by Wednesday evening and the jointing will then commence with a view to close this bay down by Thursday evening.

The last joint bay, which was previously opened on Oldham Road near to its junction with Longley Street but temporarily shut down, will be re-opened Friday to allow the final jointing work to be completed over the weekend, with the reinstatement being completed Sunday/Monday.

As explained by Electricity North West at the presentation given to the District Partnership on June 3rd, in order to carry out the operation of pulling through the cable and jointing, it will be necessary to have three joint bays open at any one time. The last run along Oldham Road, between Bullcote Lane and the Big Lamp roundabout, will undoubtedly be the most disruptive.

The temporary signals along Oldham Road will be manned during the working day between 07.00am and 18.00pm and the operatives will be in touch using two way radios. While every effort will be made to minimise disruptions, unfortunately some disruption will occur.

Lib Dem Motion to prevent betting shops taking over the High Street

Date: 9th July 2013

Oldham Lib Dems have proposed that the Council write to Government ministers urging them to take action to introduce new legislation to curb the increase in planning applications for new betting shops in the Borough.

Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council and Leader of the Lib Dem Group, and Cllr Rod Blyth, Shadow Cabinet Member for Social Care and Public Health, have proposed a motion to the next Council meeting on Wednesday 17th July outlining the concerns of the Liberal Democrat Group:

“This Council notes with great concern the proliferation of betting shops on our high street and the clustering of betting shops in particular areas.

Currently, under planning legislation, betting shops are placed in Use Class A2, grouped alongside banks, estate agents and other financial services. This means they can open up in any building that was previously in the A2 Use Class or the A3 (Restaurants and Cafes), A4 (Pubs and Bars) and A5 (Hot Food Takeaways) without the need for any planning permission.

The Portas Review, published in December 2011, proposed to change the planning use class of betting shops from Class “A2” to sui generis (a category all of its own). This would mean that every new betting shop would require full planning permission.

Regrettably under the 2005 Gambling Act enacted by the previous Labour Government, Councils are prevented from considering the existing number of gambling licences when approving a new licence.

This Council resolves to:

Ask the Chief Executive to write to the ministers with responsibility for this area – the Minister for Communities and Local Government, The Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles, MP and the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, The Rt. Hon. Maria Miller MP – requesting that the Government:

1. Repeals the relevant section of the 2005 Act so that Councils may consider the number of existing gambling licences when considering any new application for a licence

2. Implements the recommendation from the Mary Portas Review to make betting shops a separate Use Class for planning purposes.

– Work with other AGMA local authorities to establish a common approach to this issue”.

Cllr. Sykes said: “Liberal Democrats want to see Government adopt the recommendations outlined in the review commissioned from high street retail expert Mary Portas. Ms Portas made a strong case that betting shops should be in a planning class all of their own so that every new premises would require full planning permission giving time for proper scrutiny and offering the public and Councillors an opportunity to object.

At present, legislation enacted by the last Labour Government also prevents local Councils from considering the number of existing premises in an area when granting a new licence. Our motion also calls on Government to repeal this aspect of the current legislation”.

In support of his colleague, fellow Shaw Lib Dem Councillor Rod Blyth said: “Research has demonstrated a link between gambling addiction and a range of health and social problems including alcoholism, substance abuse and crime. We want to see a diverse range of shops on our High Street as part of a vibrant and attractive retail offer to attract a wide-range of customers to our district centres.

There have recently been high profile planning applications for new betting shops in both Hollinwood and Chadderton that have been opposed by ward councillors and by the public on the grounds that there are enough already and that having too many in one area causes a problem in itself”.