Merton CIL calls for stronger plan to make Merton accessible.

January 2021

Merton CIL has responded to Merton Council’s draft new planning framework with a call for more plans to maintain and develop disability access. The New Local Plan will set out the Council’s planning framework for the next 10 years with strategies for new housing, economic growth and development and addressing climate change.

You can read Merton CIL's response to Merton CIL response to Stage 2a Draft Local Plan - Here

‘There’s a lot to welcome in the plan, says Michael Turner, Merton CIL’s Policy and Strategy Manager. ‘We welcome the specific commitments including maintaining the existing targets of 90% of new houses to meet the general access standards and the other 10% to be fully wheelchair accessible, and a requirement for buildings, streets and spaces to be designed and managed for the everyone’s access needs including those of Disabled people.’

However, many of the details of the specific requirements of the Plan do not refer to disability access. Michael continues: ‘We appreciate that the plan is only intended as a framework but talking about access as a general concept often means that access is only addressed as a general idea by meeting standards and ticking boxes. For the Local Plan to really focus on maintaining and improving access for Disabled people, it needs to have a plan with a strong and consistent approach to disability access.’

Some parts of the draft plan have proposals that may have a negative impact on Deaf and Disabled people, such as reducing on street parking in town centres and develop high-density, high-rise housing developments in some places.

It’s vital that the Council works with us to avoid any negative impact on Deaf and Disabled people from the Plan and make sure it is about progress for everyone.

Merton CIL will continue to push for improvements to the Plan which is due to be finished later this year. We will also continue to monitor how it is implemented by the Council and developers in the borough.

 

 For more information, please contact: 

Micheal Turner, Policy & Strategy Manager 

michael@mertoncil.org.uk