Policy Services
It’s a plan-led system. The right policies underpinned by the right evidence and the right approach to examination are key. Our decades of experience in preparing and adopting sound local plans is at your disposal. Some ideas of what we can do for you are set out below, but if it involves a local plan, come and talk to us.
- Expert witnesses at local plan hearings, including preparing evidence,
supporting that evidence and asking questions at the hearing and dealing
with Inspector’s questions and requests. We have experience of both inperson
and virtual examinations. - Site assessments, justification of development allocations and policy/
brief preparation within local plans. - Strategy development and justification including settlement studies
and hierarchies. - Policy writing and review.
- Consultation, engagement and analysis/reporting of representations.
- Infrastructure planning
- Urban capacity and small sites studies
- Supporting neighbourhood plan development (although we prefer
to support groups with a similar vision to ours – thriving, sustainable
communities with opportunities for growth and improvement) - Training and briefing sessions
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Case Study
Dartmoor Local Plan
Figura was employed by Dartmoor National Park Authority to carry out an assessment of potential development allocations for their local plan review. The Topic Paper which can be viewed here https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/87019/Topic-Paper9-rev2-FINAL.pdf considered the available sites for development in the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) area and made recommendations on which should be allocated for development. It took account of the wide variety of evidence produced for the local plan review and discussions with stakeholders and consultees. As a follow up to this Figura prepared 17 development briefs for the allocated sites to support their proposed allocation. One example can be read here https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/96659/7.23-Policy-Advice-MARY-TAVY-v0cs.pdf
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Case Study
Local Enterprise Partnerships in the South West: Planning and Delivery
Mary was part of a small research team looking at the way in which LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) were delivering local economic growth and their engagement with strategic planning and sustainable development. The qualitative and quantitative analysis provided a sound basis for comparing the performance and approaches of the south west LEPs. The research was published by the Royal Town Planning Institute South West. https://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/1374/local-enterprise-partnerships-in-the-south-west-full-report.pdf
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Case Study
Local Plan Evidence Support for the Planning Advisory Service
The Planning Advisory Service has appointed us to deliver part of its support programme for local planning authorities. We, along with John Baker of Point Consultancy, will be working with a number of councils on their local plan evidence base. Having the right evidence for a local plan is obviously key – it is one of the “soundness tests” that a local plan Inspector must consider. But there is no single list of evidence needed for a local plan; instead the advice is to prepare a “proportionate” evidence base focused on the plan policies. This can leave councils uncertain about what evidence they do and do not need.
Unfortunately, there have been numerous occasions where councils have had to pause local plan examinations to update or prepare new evidence at the request of Inspectors. This is obviously costly and frustrating for all concerned.
Using our companies’ experience of local plans across the country, we will review the evidence that a council has brought together in support of their local plan. We can then discuss with the councils whether there are any gaps or quality issues which might need looking at before a plan is prepared or submitted.
It is hoped that this support package will reduce the delays which can occur during local plan examinations and help councils to meet the 2023 deadline for local plan adoption. Contact the Planning Advisory Service for information about how you could benefit from their support. Figura Planning and Point Consultancy are happy to speak to authorities on a range of local plan support services.