City sets out 15-year plan for housing, jobs and environment

LIVERPOOL City Council is to ask the public its views on a new 15-year plan to build 29,000 new homes and to protect public parks from being developed on.
 
The consultation exercise on Liverpool’s draft Local Plan will seek feedback on a series of priorities to grow the city’s economy up to 2033, such as identifying and protecting land for jobs and housing.
 
Liverpool’s population is expected to rise to just short of half a million people by 2033 and the draft plan, which has been in development with numerous agencies since February 2013, has identified 81 detailed policies to manage this growth.

An initial stage of consultation on the draft Local Plan occurred in early 2014 and the feedback from that process has been incorporated where possible.  

Key to the plan is to focus future development on brownfield land, with brownfield sites and sites already approved for housing earmarked for 29,600 new homes and making sufficient provision for regeneration/job creation across brownfield sites in the city’s key employment areas.

And based on the Mayoral review of green and open spaces, which will be published in October, the Local Plan will not just protect parks but will also respond to the findings and recommendation of the review.

One of the most important proposals relates to the identification and extension of a series of corridors for walking, cycling and the linking of wildlife areas.

The review has also identified the creation of the new non-motorised routes in a bid to make Liverpool one the most environmentally friendly and healthy cities in Europe.

It will also build on the Mayor of Liverpool’s citybike scheme which has introduced 140 bike stations since 2014.

The council is also seeking to use planning controls in its war on obesity to by limiting the development of hot-food take-aways.

A report will be submitted to the city council’s Cabinet on Friday, August 19 recommending a six-week public consultation to be launched in early September.

The key priorities in the draft Local Plan are: Protect all of Liverpool’s parks for the future health and wellbeing of citizens; prioritise brownfield sites to allow creation of 29,600 homes by 2033 (according to Government figures, the city may need a further 9,000); identify and protect brownfield over 100 hectares of land for economic growth/regeneration/job creation; focus shops and services within district and local shopping centres; limit the concentration of hot-food take-aways; direct new student accommodation development and control an over concentration of houses in multiple occupation (HMO’s).
 
This plan, which is more than 800 pages long in content, will replace the existing Unitary Development Plan 2002, is a national Government requirement and will be scrutinised by an Independent Inspector appointed by Government.

The Plan is expected to be complete by the end of 2017.

Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “Liverpool’s Local Plan sets out the framework upon which how this city will grow and where.

“This is a hugely vital document and demonstrates our commitment to building new homes, attracting new jobs and critically, protecting our parks and opening up new ways for future generations to enjoy them.

“Everyone living in Liverpool will be affected by this plan and what it sets out to achieve – which is a healthier and more prosperous city – which is why we want to hear from as many people as possible when the consultation launches in September.”

For the consultation, the public will be invited to provide feedback by post, email or online. Advice and assistance will also be available from a Local Plan team.

Once the consultation is completed a final version of the Local Plan will then be independently assessed from next summer. Subject to any legal challenges it will then be adopted by the city council in late 2017.