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Housing and Built Environment Forum


Aims
Initially set up in 2007 to respond to the first Totnes Development Plan Document (DPD), the Forum worked once more with Totnes Town Council to prepare a second joint community response “Totnes: Planning for the Future” in 2010.

The Totnes Housing and Built Environment Forum (H&BEF) now aims:   

   •  to provide a coordination facility for community involvement on planning matters, housing and the public        realm, and
   •  to share information between groups, and seek to maximise resource (people, knowledge and skills) while        minimising duplication.

Meetings are public and membership is open to everyone. Current membership includes individuals, and representatives of local community groups, and we are seeking to broaden participation. We welcome anyone with an interest in planning issues to our meetings.

Date of next meeting: Thursday 23rd July, at The Guildhall at 7.00pm.

Master Planning
The Totnes Development Plan calls for a master plan to be produced for the Riverside development in Bridgetown, and for an area running from the railway station to Puddaven, including the Dairy Crest site and KEVICC, referred to as the North West Quadrant.

Masterplanning aims to provide a blueprint for changes to each site, taking the surrounding area into account. It should address infrastructure needs, the uses and types of buildings, sustainability and delivery issues through a process involving all key stakeholders.

The first step is to set up a steering group, comprising representatives of the community and developers to determine how to create the master plan and implement an effective consultative process. The H&BEF has been asked to select one community representative for each of the two steering groups. Participants will need to bring time and energy to this project, as the steering group will continue to guide and manage the process until the master plan report is completed, probably by the end of 2011. Our representatives will be selected at our meeting on 21st July.

The Forum expects to continue to provide information on masterplanning activity as it progresses.

Baltic Wharf
Additionally we will be seeking six representatives to work with the developers at Baltic Wharf. A consultant has been appointed to help bring together detailed planning of the first phase of development, following the granting of Outline Planning Permission. A workshop for about 20 local people will be held in August to determine how the community should be involved in developing plans for this key site. Participants will be sought from across the local community, including six people to be nominated via the Housing and Built Environment Forum at our meeting on 21st July.

Totnes Development Plan Document (DPD)
In 2010, Totnes Town Council and the Housing and Built Environment Forum coordinated a joint response to the Totnes DPD, entitled “Totnes: Planning for the Future”. Following a two week Inspection in November 2010, the DPD document was formally adopted by SHDC Councillors in February 2011.

The conclusions identified in the Joint Community Response will continue to inform what we do. Details of the DPD can be found on the SHDC website (www.southhams.gov.uk).

Click here to read the joint response “Totnes: Planning for the Future” (2010)

Constitution
The forum has recently adopted a minimal constitution at its first AGM (June 2010) which permits resolution of disputes by a vote among accepted member community groups. The current voting member groups are:

Totnes and District Preservation Trust
Totnes and District Society
Transition Town Totnes
Totnes Chamber of Commerce 
South Hams Friends of the Earth 
Dartington Against Detrimental Development
Totnes Living Community
 

Minutes of Meetings

12th May 2011

Masterplanning Presentation 12th May

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