Introduction

14.1

The Council is keen to encourage development and regeneration within Knowsley. However, in some cases development can impose costs or harm on the community or on the environment. Such costs can include, for example, the need to provide and maintain public open space, recreational facilities or transport facilities to meet the needs of a new development, or harm to environmental assets.

14.2

Under the planning legislation (see footnote ²⁰), the Council can enter into agreements with developers. The policy set down in this chapter explains how the Council will use planning obligations and agreements in a pro-active way, to mitigate any costs arising from development proposals and thereby help achieve the objectives of this Plan.

²⁰ The legal powers for Local Planning Authorities to enter into legal agreements with developers are set down in Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). The new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 will replace the existing legislation, but the relevant part of the Act has yet to be enacted. The implications of the new legislation are described at the end of this chapter.