FAQs

The  Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out OPDC’s commitments for how and when OPDC will consult communities in the process of planning for the Old Oak and Park Royal area, both in producing planning policy and in carrying out its development management functions. It also sets out requirements for how applicants for planning permission will consult communities. 

The SCI is a legal requirement from the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The SCI is not a development plan document and is therefore not subject to examination. However, production of the SCI is a statutory requirement, and the information set out in the SCI places requirements on OPDC and those submitting planning applications. 

We published our first SCI in 2015. Revised versions have been published in 2017, January 2020 and November 2020. The most recent revisions made in November 2020 focussed on outlining approaches to engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Best practice approaches to community engagement are constantly evolving. To ensure OPDC’s SCI remains fit for purpose, OPDC aims to review its SCI every two years. During 2023, OPDC undertook a review of its SCI. As well as reviewing the document internally, community members emailed OPDC officers with suggested revisions to the SCI which have been considered in making revisions. The amendments include:

1. Revisions to engagement arrangements made during the Covid-19 pandemic to mainstream online consultation events.
2. Emphasis on effective and inclusive engagement has been increased.
3. Changes made to reflect changes in legislation.
4. Strengthening requirements for applicants to deliver early pre-application engagement.
5. References made to OPDC’s Community Engagement Strategy publication and removal of repetition.
6. Reflecting OPDC's existing practice of providing individual responses to each consultation comment for planning policy consultations.
7. Changes regarding the the Government’s ongoing plan-making reforms.

There will be opportunities during the consultation period to speak to OPDC officers and find out more about the Revised Draft Statement of Community Involvement. Please feel free to:

• Drop by to the in-person consultation event at The Lab, Oaklands Community Centre, Oaklands Rise, NW10 6FJ on 20th February, 2pm-7pm. No need to book so just drop in.
• Join us for an online session via Zoom on 4th March, 6-8pm – please register for the event

Once the consultation closes, all responses will be considered by OPDC planning officers to help shape the final version of the Revised SCI. 

We will publish each individual comment and provide a specific officer response to each comment setting out whether or not it has resulted in a change to the SPD and the reasoning for the officer response. These will be published in a table within a Statement of Consultation and presented to both OPDC’s Planning Committee and OPDC’s Board for consideration in adopting the SPD in Spring 2024.