Kensington approves Norland Society Neighbourhood Forum and area designation

The Norland Conservation Society now has the right to produce a Neighbourhood Plan, under the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations. The Society was the first organisation in the country to apply to a local authority to designate a neighbourhood area and forum.

Designation of the Norland Neighbourhood Forum was made by the executive director for planning and borough development for the Council, with the agreement of the cabinet member for planning.

To be designated as a Neighbourhood Area and Forum, the society had to demonstrate that it had a constitution of at least 21 members representative of the area and that no part of the proposed Neighbourhood Area overlapped with any other designated Neighbourhood Area.

"It is considered that the Norland Neighbourhood Area and Forum applications satisfied the requirements of the Regulations," the Council said, "and as no objections were received the decision has therefore been taken to designate Norland Neighbourhood Forum and the Norland Neighbourhood Area."

The Forum has launched a consultation on its proposed Neighbourhood Plan, which aims to "protect and enhance the character and historic features that define Norland's sense of place – in terms of townscape, streetscape, landscape, neighbourhood," the Forum said. The consultation is open for comments until 31 July.

The draft Neighbourhood Plan proposes a number of guidelines to protect architectural features, protect gardens and homes from extensions and garden buildings, protect the conservation area, enhance and protect open space and guidelines to mitigate traffic problems.

Following the consultation the Forum will consider comments and make any necessary amendments before submitting the proposed plan and comments to the Council.

The Council will then check that the Forum's proposals do not conflict with any of their strategic plans or the London Plan and conduct a further formal consultation.

Subject to any further changes as a result of the consultation, the Plan will be submitted for external examination (to make sure that it meets all the required tests) and, if approved, the decision to adopt the plan will be put to a local referendum.

If more than 50% people who vote are in favour of the plan, then it will become part of the Council's planning policy for the area.