The Cookham Plan

Findings and Recommendations

Housing and Development Group

APPENDIX 1 - WORKING GROUP REMIT

COOKHAM VILLAGE PLAN - REMIT

WORKING GROUP ON HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of the Working Group is to assist the Steering Committee in producing the Cookham Village Plan and completing a Rural Villages Health Check by: researching its designated subject area; consulting with the public and relevant organisations; and preparing a report and action plan.

Housing and development. This covers everything related to existing and new housing, commercial, retail and other buildings and the built environment generally.

The subject area is likely to interface with those of the other Working Groups (People & Places; Environment & Land; Business & the Economy; and Transport & Traffic). The Working Group is to avoid duplication of work by agreeing boundaries with other Working Groups and with the Steering Committee.

The detailed methodology for the study is left to the Working Group to agree amongst its members. However, so that the Steering Committee may coordinate the activities of all the Working Groups, ensure that adequate resources are available and complete production of the Village Plan by the target date of 31 March 2007, the following constraints must be met:

Review of the draft objectives set out below and agreement of their final content with the Steering Committee by 13 October 2006.

Production and agreement with the Steering Committee of a methodology and target plan for the work to be undertaken by 13 October 2006.

Drafting and agreement with the Steering Committee of a budget for the work by 13 October 2006.

Production of any questions required to gather information from a village-wide survey to be organised by the Steering Committee by 27 October 2006.

The Working Group must identify and consult with all relevant interested parties. Proposed consultations must be agreed with the Steering Committee by 27 October 2006 so that approaches to each party by different Woking Groups can be coordinated.

As well as the questionnaire and other consultation, the Working Group should undertake additional research where necessary to obtain material for use in its report. Sources and the copyright status of any research material must be identified and cited in the report.

The Working Group is to provide a verbal progress report at each meeting of the Steering Committee.

The Working Group is required to address the following issues:

Review the built environment in Cookham, where and in what form future development should be permitted or prohibited, and how well the planning system works to meet residents' views.

Review the adequacy of existing infrastructure and identify how this may affect or constrain development. The review is to be based upon information about parking, public transport and traffic issues by the Traffic and Transport group and information about the capacity of schools, medical and similar facilities by the People and Places group.

Consider the issues associated with the siting of mobile telephone masts.

Consider the flood risks to Cookham and how these affect housing and development matters.

Consider the quality of development and how to identify and encourage good design, the right mix of housing types and sustainable development

Review demand for housing, its affordability and options to assist young people and essential workers to live in Cookham

Consider the adequacy of housing provision for elderly and disabled people, whether this is being lost to redevelopment and how to ensure adequate future provision

Support the People & Places and Business & Economy groups by considering siting and other planning related matters arising from their proposals.

Identify the stock of business premises in Cookham, their quality, effects on nearby premises and the type of development that may take place in the future.

In addressing the above matters, consider any provision necessary to meet the needs of physical, learning or other disabilities.

The working Group’s report and action plan must be produced following the template that will be issued by the Steering Committee. The target date for completion is 26 January 2007.

The report is to be written in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Campaign for Clear English.

For each of the study areas, produce a short action plan setting out:

• What is proposed?

• Why the action is needed

• Who will be responsible for taking the action?

• When will the action be taken forward?

• How the action will be implemented and (if possible) how much it will cost?

The working group must be able to demonstrate that projects it has identified have support within the local community and  show that they have, where relevant, discussed projects with other organisations who will be able to assist in carrying out the action.

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