Street Votes / Street Vote Development Orders
Case reference FOI2024/01308
Received 31 July 2024
Published 7 August 2024
Request
My query relates to your local authority's policy on "Street Votes" - where a vote is held to allow the residents of a street to give themselves the right to extend or redevelop their properties. This could include building a mansard roof. An extension. Or building housing on land currently occupied by derelict alleys or disused garages.
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 included provision for Street Vote Development Orders, though the new Government has not yet announced if it will proceed with implementing this or not. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/55
Please advise:
1. Has your local authority stated an opinion on street votes?
Specifically, did you respond to the official consultation on Street Vote Development Orders?https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/street-vote-development-orders-consultation/street-vote-development-orders If so please send me a copy of your response.
2. I understand that regardless of Street Vote Development Orders legislation being implemented, individual local authorities could choose to introduce a similar arrangement of their own volition. This could be done by allowing a local poll under Section 116 of the Local Government Act 2003 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/26/section/116?timeline=false&view=plain and then issuing Local Development Orders to reflect what the residents voted for. https://www.local.gov.uk/pas/topics/local-development-orders/local-development-orders.
Have you held any such street votes?
Do you have any plans to allow street votes in future?
Response
My query relates to your local authority's policy on "Street Votes" - where a vote is held to allow the residents of a street to give themselves the right to extend or redevelop their properties. This could include building a mansard roof. An extension. Or building housing on land currently occupied by derelict alleys or disused garages.
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 included provision for Street Vote Development Orders, though the new Government has not yet announced if it will proceed with implementing this or not.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/55
Please advise:
1. Has your local authority stated an opinion on street votes?
A) No.
Specifically, did you respond to the official consultation on Street Vote Development Orders?https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/street-vote-development-orders-consultation/street-vote-development-orders
A) No.
If so please send me a copy of your response.
A) N/A
2. I understand that regardless of Street Vote Development Orders legislation being implemented, individual local authorities could choose to introduce a similar arrangement of their own volition. This could be done by allowing a local poll under Section 116 of the Local Government Act 2003 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/26/section/116?timeline=false&view=plain
and then issuing Local Development Orders to reflect what the residents voted for.
https://www.local.gov.uk/pas/topics/local-development-orders/local-development-orders.
Have you held any such street votes?
A) No.
Do you have any plans to allow street votes in future?
A) The Service Area have advised the Council has not made a decision on street votes in the future. This will depend on whether the Labour government implements Street Votes as previously proposed by the Conservative government.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.