Colton Parish Council Community Plan

Community Plans set out the issues that local people value about their neighbourhoods, and their aspirations for the future.

Date of Publication: August 2024
Review Date: July 2025

Housing and Planning (H&P)

You told us that high house prices and the lack of affordable housing is an extremely important issue as is the increase in holiday lets, short-term lets (e.g. Airbnb and other platforms) and second homes.

We strongly believe in the importance of encouraging a diverse, vibrant community, with a resident population including young and old. Those on low incomes, including most care workers and those in the hospitality industry, have to travel significant distances to work in the Parish, despite providing essential services to residents and being critical to the success of many local businesses.

The presence of permanent resident communities increases the sustainability of local businesses and services. The provision of more affordable housing, particularly housing for local occupancy, is central to this.

Dry-stone walling in action

A. Our relevant Powers

As statutory consultees, CPC responds to all planning applications. Our responses are based on this plan though decisions rest with LDNPA and are subject to appeal to Government.

Where CPC objects to an application, and where we have available capacity, a Councillor can attend and present for a maximum of five minutes at the Authority’s Planning Control Committee meetings when these are convened.

 

B. Our priorities based on what you told us:

  1. We consider all planning applications carefully and encourage public participation in the planning process.
  2. Subject to environmental suitability, we support limited housing developments that will provide affordable housing for people living and working locally.
  3. We object to applications for new holiday homes or change of use to holiday letting where the impact on the local community and/or local environment does not align with our Community Plan priorities.
  4. We lobby and actively communicate the views of our community on housing matters with the National Park Authority, Westmorland and Furness Council and other public bodies.

C. What we can support the community to do and how.

  1. Where not in conflict with our environmental priorities, we support planning applications to build smaller, affordable homes, suitable for young working families.
  2. Encourage residents to attend Parish Council meetings and participate individually in the local planning process to add weight to the Council’s responses to the LDNPA.
  3. We will only support plans for holiday-lets, and campsites in situations where there is;
    • Demonstrable support from the local resident community
    • Demonstrable benefit to the local economy
    • No impact on the availability of homes for permanent residents.

D. What we can seek to influence other agencies to do and how:

  1. Lobby our Unitary Authority Councillor, relevant industry bodies and our local MP to:
    • raise the profile of rural housing poverty issues with the government.
    • ensure holiday lets pay appropriate commercial charges for using local services such as waste disposal.
    • increase the Council Tax Charge imposed on second homes.
    • change the local tax on short term holiday lets and similar from business rates to council tax. Currently small business rate relief results in these properties not contributing to local authority costs of services.
  2. Hold the Lake District National Park Authority to account in adhering to their published planning guidelines.
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