Agenda and minutes

Hugh McClintock (Vice Chair)

Laura Dominguez 

John Rhodes   

Steve Rhodes 

Margaret Knowles 

Nick Hynes

Chris Thompson  

The Chair welcomed Councillor Rosemary Healy to the meeting as the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Cleansing Services.

Minutes of the meeting held on the 14^th April 2021

The minutes of the meeting held on the 14 April 2021 were confirmed as a true record.

The Chair gave an update on position statements following conversations with various people and groups outside of the LAF. The following points were highlighted:

a)  There were key issues where the LAF has had a firm stance and view point- and questioned if members considered it effective of necessary for the LAF to put together a position statement as a forum to represent its collective views.

b)  The LAF could combine their expertise to explain their views which could be circulated to interested parties to stimulate conversations and engagement with others.

c)  Forum members considered if it would be beneficial for there to be a small collection of Position Statements for members to agree upon. It was suggested that similarly to that of Natural England (who are statutory consultees for Planning Applications) who issued standing advice, this could be replicated in order to refine the Forums’ responses to Planning applications.

d)  It was noted that Position Statements could be more generalised, for example in reference to cycle parking in built developments to submit as part of our contributions to planning applications.

e)  Work could be undertaken with the Planning sub group – to streamline the process with the possibility of compiling a check list when looking at potential new developments.

ACTION: Discuss with the planning sub-group and decide on next steps on what the Position Statement would cover and to help streamline processes.

The Chair explained that ‘Slow Ways’ was a walking network across English Towns and Cities. The following information was highlighted:

a)  The walking network was between English Towns and Cities and questioned whether the forum would wish to be more involved in Slow Ways.

b)  At present, 800 groups signed up to contribute to Slow Ways who were looking to recruit volunteers as contributors who would be required to do the following:

i)  Explore and organise groups to ‘swarm’ certain routes (heavily promoting a route, asking walkers to speak and write of their experience and to rate it)

ii)  Verify walking routes

iii)  Volunteer to submit surveys

iv)  To submit exemplar routes.

c)  The Walking Sub Group representative noted that it may require a lot of voluntary effort but could be looked at with regards to active travel.

ACTION: More information be gathered and reported back to the Forum to allow for a more informed decision.

The Public Rights of Way Officer commented that the Nottinghamshire LAF had been contacted and more engagement with them was perceived to be a positive step forwards. A number of interpretation boards for the Inclosure Walk were set to be delivered and he had received an invite to the Inclosure Walk in September, appended to the minutes.

Liz Cordle gave a brief update on the activities of the Walking sub group. The following information was shared:

a)  The map of the walk between Mapperley and St Ann’s Walk had been published and was available on the website.

a)  The team had been working on (as well as leading) a number of walks including Basford, Wollaton and Forest Fields and Arboretum.

b)  The ‘Best foot forward’ walks had resumed although people needed to book in advance; not all of the walks had been re-instated due to Covid.

c)  Promoting walks was discussed at a previous forum and since then, the communication about the walks had been improved by the promotions team.

d)  It was explained that whilst there had been previous funding for some of the design work of leaflets, there was no budget specifically allocated for this. The Right of Way Officer would explore other avenues and contact the promotion and communications team to try and highlight the work of the walking sub group.

Edmund Hopkins on behalf of Margaret Knowles updated the forum. The following was noted:

Strategic matters

a)  The Greater Nottingham Strategic Partnership is consulting stakeholders on the Draft Greater Nottingham Blue-Green Infrastructure Strategy. This will inform both the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan and the development of policies and allocations within it. The strategy will also inform the preparation of subsequent Local Plans, and Blue-Green Infrastructure provision priorities through the determination of planning applications across the Greater Nottingham Area.

b)  strategy provides evidence on existing strategic Blue Green Infrastructure which should be protected, their functions and connectivity, and opportunities to improve them or create more.  It focusses on the strategic network that provides the foundations of the Blue-Green Infrastructure network across Greater Nottingham. It considers coherent ecological networks alongside more multi-functional Blue-Green Infrastructure networks.

c)  The consultation closes on Friday 13 August 2021.  Margaret had volunteered to coordinate a response, but would welcome input from others, both in the planning group and those with an expertise/interest in biodiversity issues.  A copy of the report has been sent to planning group members. 

Comments on Planning Applications

d)  The logistics of making comments has become more difficult as it is taking several weeks before some validated applications are entered on the system.  This has been raised with City Council officers but with no satisfactory outcome.

e)  21/01032   Phase 2 of the Island Site Development -  Construction and operation of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation  and associated hard and soft landscaping, foul and surface water drainage infrastructure, and local highway improvement works

f)  Overall Nottingham LAF welcomes the opportunities that the planning application presents to improve and enable cycle and pedestrian activity within this area and support wider cycle/ pedestrian connectivity within our city.  However, we asked for the following:

i)  Assurance that the improvements to cycle and pedestrian provision on City Link will take full account of the revised Cycling Infrastructure Design Guidance standards with improved connections at both ends.

ii)  Pedestrian and cycle routes segregated on Manvers Street. The Framework Travel Plan refers to a combined foot/ cycle way.

iii)  Cycle parking provision meeting NCC standards. The Framework Travel Plan states that 270 secured covered cycle parking spaces will be provided for students but this is less than the 310 required by NCC standards.

iv)  That full account is taken of cycle and pedestrian movements in redesigning the junction of this site with Manvers Street and Sneinton Hermitage and that these also meet the revised DfT guidance.

g)  21/00968/PFUL3 Bendigo Building, Brook St Demolition of existing building and development of purpose-built student accommodation (up to 13 storeys), also with ground floor commercial units, car and cycle parking

h)  NLAF welcomes the fact that cycle parking spaces for the student accommodation is in line with local plan guidance on quantum. A planning condition to see that these spaces are delivered should be applied.

i)  That significant numbers of car parking spaces for students are also proposed is disappointing and will encourage private car  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

There were no updates from the Definative Map group.

The Chair commented that Laura Dominguez had resigned from the Local Access Forum and thanked her for her work and contributions.

The Forum were informed of the following:

Changes to Sneinton Greenway – there is a sum of money to for the site allocated to include the Sneinton Greenway as part of one of the phase of Island Quarter. The outline consent had a S106 agreement of £4 million to cover two principal highway improvements either side of the Island Quarter. Outline consent was now not being implemented and the developer was currently negotiating different S106 agreements for each phase. The City Council may potentially receive a sizeable amount of money from this.

The Forum discussed items for future agenda and the topics below were agreed to be considered at future forum meetings;

Living Streets – a representative be invited to engage and input into a future meeting

A representative from the Transportation team to update the Forum, specifically on e-mobility.

Transport Planning – request attendance from someone in the team to update and deliver a round-up on the significant issues that are due before the end of year.

Designed Quality Framework (DQF www.co-place.org), – presentation to elaborate on how to get involved and influence design policy.

The date of the next meeting: 13 October 2021

13 October 2021