Out-Law News 1 min. read

Highgate to elect Neighbourhood Plan committee


A steering group has been set up to work on the implementation of a Neighbourhood Plan for the London borough of Highgate. The plan will focus on regeneration of the retail offering in Highgate, the group said.

The next step in producing the Neighbourhood Plan is for the community group to apply to both Camden Council and Haringey Council for designation as a Neighbourhood Forum.

An "Inaugural annual general meeting" is planned to be held at the end of May, where the Neighbourhood Forum will elect a Committee and approve a draft constitution, both of which must be agreed before the Councils can consider an application for designation as a Neighbourhood Forum.  

Everyone who lives or works in Highgate is automatically a member of the Highgate Neighbourhood Forum and will be able to vote on the draft Constitution and place a vote to elect the Committee, the steering group said. The meeting will take place on 29 May.

"We think it will be good to have a forum where people from across Highgate and from both Boroughs can come together to discuss issues which affect the area. Most importantly, it offers a democratic way for local residents to put together a plan – via the Forum and referendum - for the future development of the area," the steering group said.

The Highgate Society (HS) successfully lobbied the Localism Bill Scrutiny Committee to amend the Bill to allow forums that crossed local authority boundaries, the steering group said. "Haringey and Camden Councillors have worked with us and been unflaggingly supportive ever since."

Officials from Camden and Haringey Councils "are happy for us to proceed with our application for designation as a Neighbourhood Forum", the steering group said. "Neighbourhood planning gives communities far more say in what their areas should look like in the future"

"Regeneration of the retail offer" will be a key issue that the Neighbourhood Plan will focus on, the steering group said. It will also focus on the "potential overdevelopment of some sites, protection of amenity from insensitive development and a more holistic treatment of the public realm", it said. 

"Being an historic village, it will be a conservation based plan, but may identify opportunities to change sites that do not contribute to, or even detract from, its character. A Neighbourhood Plan can, if desired and approved, give the equivalent of an outline planning permission through a subsequent Neighbourhood Development Order or Community Right to Build Order," the steering group said.  

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