Planning Committee
1. Constitutional position
The Planning Committee operates within the constitution of the Society supporting, to differing degrees, all four of the Society’s objectives namely:
(a) stimulating interest in the history, character and traditions of Battersea;
(b) encouraging good architecture, town planning and civic design, the planting and care of trees;
(c) engaging in, and promoting awareness of, issues of concern to the community; and
(d) making representations to the proper authorities on these subjects.
To this end, focusing on the built environment and planning matters, the Planning Committee:
reviews and, where appropriate, comments upon planning issues;
works constructively with the local authorities, planning committees, and other statutory authorities, the London Forum, voluntary organisations, charities, and persons having aims similar to those of the Society; and
provides regular feedback to members on local planning concerns through the Planning Matters section of Battersea Matters, the Society website and the annual report to the AGM.
Its geographic focus is that of the Society, namely the former borough of Battersea, but extends this where proposals or policy directly affect residents of Battersea.
The Committee is delegated by the Executive of the Society to undertake these tasks. As required by the constitution, the Committee always has at least one trustee amongst its membership.
2. The role of the Planning Committee
In recent years the built environment of Battersea has seen a continuous process of significant physical and social change. Over this period the statutory planning system has grown both more complex and, at the same time, more relaxed in terms of what new development is permitted and approved. The Planning Committee’s task, therefore, has become increasingly one of seeking to protect Battersea’s historic environment as much as promoting high quality architecture, urban design and landscape.
The Committee’s members are active in reviewing planning applications and also the impact of relevant planning and transport policies and strategies from the Government, the GLA and Wandsworth Council. In order to represent the Society’s views, members of the Committee need to develop a keen interest and feel for how policy development and planning applications may affect the day to day life of residents in Battersea and its public environment. The committee supports new members to become conversant with the principles of statutory planning policy, including transport policy. The Committee always looks to how best to influence decision makers but accepts that sometimes this is limited by the political reality of Government, GLA and Wandsworth Council’s approach and policies.
In all cases the Committee does what it can within the limits of the time available to its members, working in a voluntary capacity.
Any members of the Society interested in planning and potentially becoming a member of the Planning Committee should initially contact the Committee Chair at planning@batterseasociety.org.uk to discuss how they could contribute.
3. The focus of the Planning Committee
The Committee focus is on strategic policy developments, major redevelopment and some smaller domestic planning applications, particularly in Conservation Areas:
main areas of policy relate to Wandsworth Council’s local planning documentation. We review GLA and national government documents where these will have an impact within Battersea;
key concerns are for good architecture, for height and density appropriate to the location, and for a fair proportion of affordable housing. From time to time specific meetings for members may be arranged on major proposals and, through the website, members are informed of formal consultation events open to the public;
on specific planning applications, weekly lists are checked for those in Conservation areas. Each application is considered on its merit and on the impact the proposals might have on the character of the Conservation area. Objections /comments are made in writing to Wandsworth Council as necessary. Comment may be made on smaller developments not in conservation areas where these will have a disproportionate impact on the area and/or where these are of major concern to our members. In the latter case the Committee need to both agree with those concerns and judge the comments will be useful.
4. Transport and other environmental concerns
The Committee always look at the environmental impact of new proposals including the transport and traffic implications. Major concerns on which representations have been made are the overloading of public transport as a result of new residential development and the lack of strategic planning of the impact of these developments on the main road networks, notably the A3205 from Wandsworth Bridge through to Vauxhall. Careful watch is kept on major new transport developments – currently Crossrail 2, NLE and the Vauxhall Bus Station development.
Planning development impacts on a number of the Society’s other specific interests including open spaces and air quality. The Planning Committee liaise with those in the lead on these matters and ensures relevant issues are referred to them. On wider issues of concern the Committee chair will liaise direct with the Society Chair and members of the Executive.
