Q-P2.1: Are there any areas where equality and inclusivity in planning needs further attention?
I have been trying to respond to some of the questions in the on-line Consultation paper of the Local Plan and have not been able to fill in the form digitally. I do not seem to be alone in this, as I understand that others are having this problem, I am obviously concerned, as this would not be a meaningful consultation if those who wish to respond are unable to do so. I have had several residents telling me they have had the same experience as myself. Can I so ask that if there is, or has been, a technical problem with the on-line consultation, there should be an extension of the closure date.
Can you please explain why the planning portal is not working? It would seem to thwart the consultation process.
I am trying to lodge comments as part of the public consultation however your portal is not accepting comments see attached screen shot This makes a public consultation impossible. I would insist these comments are taken into consideration, if the portal is back up at any point soon I am happy to upload them there - please let me know as currently it is not a public consultation if the public can not access the portal to comment
Please also accept this email as a complain that your portal does not allow any updates despite there being a deadline of tomorrow.
Not many were raised in the plan. We need much less content and much more time to consider and debate it.
As noted above, inclusivity and equality, and also accessiblility, should be more broadly and more explicitly covered throughout the plan. This is with the purpose of ensuring that the plans provide opporuntity for all within our distrcits, but also to make our places fit for purpose in the future.
2.2.4 Question P2.1 asks if there are any areas where equality and inclusivity in planning needs further attention. We suggest that this is the case for rural communities where issues such as housing affordability should be addressed via a clear spatial strategy that provides for the needs of rural areas as well as for urban areas.
There should be full transparency of correspondence and evidence relating to the local plan, so that a) the public can fully understand the alternatives considered and the reasons and evidence for options chosen. b) so the public can fully participate in environmental decision making under the Aarhus Convention - without full information, it is impossible to effectively participate
Yes, the advertising of this consultation process has been appalling at best. There is a heavy reliance on the public being able to access the online process and document, which prevents a number of resident groups from participating. The accessibility of the consultation document has been extremely hard to find and ability to fill in on line with out having to cut and past onto word documents despite registering is not acceptable. Whilst there have been consultation events they have been centred in a hand full of large towns, the smaller towns and villages have had nothing and so have not been adequately consulted.
Yes, the advertising of this consultation process has been appalling at best. There is a heavy reliance on the public being able to access the online process and document, which prevents a number of resident groups from participating. The accessibility of the consultation document has been extremely hard to find and ability to fill in on line with out having to cut and past onto word documents despite registering is not acceptable. Whilst there have been consultation events they have been centred in a hand full of large towns, the smaller towns and villages have had nothing and so have not been adequately consulted.
On the advice of our District Councilor these comments have been sent in an email due to your planning portal not being currently accessible and presenting an obstacle to public participation in the planning process.
It could be argued that in consideration of equality and inclusivity the interests of people who live in rural areas are not sufficiently recognized by the plan through its apparent urban focus. In other words, there could be a form spatial discrimination. It might be that the focus of the plan on the scale and provision of new housing and strategic employment opportunities is a reason behind this.
It could be argued that in consideration of equality and inclusivity the interests of people who live in rural areas are not sufficiently recognized by the plan through its apparent urban focus. In other words, there could be a form spatial discrimination. It might be that the focus of the plan on the scale and provision of new housing and strategic employment opportunities is a reason behind this.
As there is no option to comment on issue S6 - greenbelt boundaries, within the plan this issue should not have been included within the consultation, how can it be a consultation when comments can not be made. As the number of respondents to the first consultation (561) is so small how can this be used as a basis for making decisions or to justify the development of greenbelt.
Yes, the advertising of this consultation process has been appalling at best. There is a heavy reliance on the public being able to access the online process and document, which prevents a number of resident groups from participating. The accessibility of the consultation document has been extremely hard to find and ability to fill in on line with out having to cut and past onto word documents despite registering is not acceptable. Whilst there have been consultation events they have been centred in a hand full of large towns, the smaller towns and villages have had nothing and so have not been adequately consulted.
Yes, the advertising of this consultation process has been appalling at best. There is a heavy reliance on the public being able to access the online process and document, which prevents a number of resident groups from participating. The accessibility of the consultation document has been extremely hard to find and ability to fill in on line with out having to cut and past onto word documents despite registering is not acceptable. Whilst there have been consultation events they have been centred in a hand full of large towns, the smaller towns and villages have had nothing and so have not been adequately consulted.
I am also concerned about the statistics in Chapter 4, issue S6 that state that 54% of respondents to the first consultation, Scoping and Call for Sites, supported “exploration for growth opportunities” in the Green Belt. The planning team appear to be using this as one of the justifications for reviewing Green Belt boundaries. However, 35% of respondents to that consultation were developers and 10% were businesses or landowners, suggesting that only a small proportion of other respondents were in favour. The heavy weighting towards groups with vested interests should be treated with caution and certainly not used as justification. How many other people wishing to comment cannot log into https://southwarwickshire.oc2.uk/document/ and leave comment. What % feedback of the residents have been contacted regarding their views The document is massive, a lot of detail is lost to the average person whether through time to digest the detail or lack of understanding of the implications of the details.
2. I am frustrated by the unnecessary complexity and lack of transparency in the consultation document and the invitation to respond to it. I have spent over two hours trying to navigate to the relevant part of this lengthy plan and find out how to respond appropriately. I have plenty of experience working with consultation documents, planning proposals and online surveys, and if I am having difficulty doing so with this one, I can only imagine what the majority of local constituents, especially those on the wrong side of the digital divide, are experiencing. The Council should be aware that offering an obstacle course by way of a consultation risks looking like a seemingly deliberate attempt to disenfranchise voters who wish to make their voices heard.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment on your plan. I was not able to use the online form on my computer, so am writing here.
It could be argued that in consideration of equality and inclusivity the interests of people who live in rural areas are not sufficiently recognized by the plan through its apparent urban focus. In other words, there could be a form spatial discrimination. It might be that the focus of the plan on the scale and provision of new housing and strategic employment opportunities is a reason behind this.
Yes, the advertising of this consultation process has been appalling at best. There is a heavy reliance on the public being able to access the online process and document, which prevents a number of resident groups from participating. The accessibility of the consultation document has been extremely hard to find and ability to fill in on line without having to cut and paste onto word documents despite registering is not acceptable. Whilst there have been consultation events they have been centred in a hand full of large towns, the smaller towns and villages have had nothing and so have not been adequately consulted.
It could be argued that in consideration of equality and inclusivity the interests of people who live in rural areas are not sufficiently recognized by the plan through its apparent urban focus. In other words, there could be a form spatial discrimination. It might be that the focus of the plan on the scale and provision of new housing and strategic employment opportunities is a reason behind this.