Ealing Matters, an alliance of residents’ associations and community groups based in Ealing, undertook a survey in preparation for an upcoming Planning Services User Group meeting on 22nd January 2019 meeting to be run by Ealing Council (LBE).
The findings highlight a large number of concerns and contain suggestions for improvements.
The full survey findings document is below - but to have an idea of what it shows, here is the first topic ... LBE Engagement with residents:
Q4 What, if any, concerns do you have about the planning function in Ealing based on your/your group’s experiences of it? | Q5 Thinking of your/your group’s experiences of the planning function, what positive steps could Ealing Council take to make it better for residents? | |
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- Lack of constructive engagement with RAs/amenity groups on plans/strategy/poor consultation/failure to observe SCI
- Lack of response to specific resident concerns/objections/time given to objections at PC minimised
- Failure to take resident comments/objections into account (salient facts withheld from PC)
- Developers’ needs prioritised against resident wishes/lack of balance/favour profit over community
- Residents feel ignored/treated with disdain/unable to influence planning decisions
| - Formally establish the PUG and meet regularly with limited but widely based community representatives under chairmanship of a councillor who is not a member of the PC and not too close to the ruling party. Agendas and minutes of meetings to be published and circulated widely
- Listen to residents and RAs/understand concerns
- Recognise the considerable expertise and concern in the wider community and create a forum to embrace this
- Give more weight in decision making to local objections to planning applications
- Be guided by consultations, petitions
- Modernise consultation and engagement processes
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Topics surveyed included:
- LBE engagement with residents
- Conservation/ heritage/design
- LBE planning policy
- Application of planning policy/guidelines
- LBE engagement with developers
- Planning application information
- Planning application notifications
- Enforcement
- Planning department
- Planning committee
