A group aiming to provide Kirkstall residents with more of a say over the future of their community has been re-designated for another five years by council chiefs.
The Kirkstall Neighbourhood Forum (KNF) was formed to prepare a Kirkstall Neighbourhood Plan, which gives residents better control over new development and greater influence over the spending of local funds.
The original forum designation was made in November 2015 and lasts for a period
of five years. The re-designation of the group by the council will last until November 2025. A council report says:
“The Kirkstall Neighbourhood Forum wish to renew the designation to enable them to proceed with the plan through to examination and referendum, and to assist with the implementation of the plan once it has been made.”
On progress on the Kirkstall plan, the report added:
“The neighbourhood forum are not at an advanced stage of preparing their neighbourhood plan, but have been focussing on engaging with local residents and other stakeholders to understand the issues and options for the plan.
“The group are in the process of producing an engagement report and have been working positively and collaboratively with the council to produce an evidence base report. The group has a high capacity to prepare the neighbourhood plan as well as to attend forum meetings.
“It is anticipated that formal pre-submission consultation will take place on the draft plan during the course of 2021.”
The plan will also help to consider ways on how to tackle some of the major issues affecting Kirkstall, including traffic congestion.
The council report can be read in full here.