The future of Richmond borough is to be built around the concept of creating so-called 20-minute neighbourhoods.

The principle involves ensuring residents are able to do without their cars and, instead, find everything they need within a 20-minute walk or cycle.

This covers everything from buying the groceries and eating out to seeing a GP or getting to school, as well as access to parks and other recreational facilities.

The theory behind 20-minute neighbourhoods (Credit TCPA)

In some cases, the policy combines with the creation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), where suburban roads are effectively sealed off from through-traffic and rat-runners.

At the same time, streets on new housing developments which, normally, might have been given over to cars could be pedestrianised with trees, green spaces and planting.

The idea is that the streets and air are made safer by removing vehicles in favour of promoting walking, cycling and public transport.

Trees and green spaces given priority over cars (Credit TCPA)

Groups on the right of politics, including some MPs, have seized on the adoption of 20-minute neighbourhoods as an attempt to enforce some sort of socialist straitjacket on households by limiting freedom of movement.

However, this characterisation of the policy has been dismissed as no more than a conspiracy theory by those arguing for a healthier approach for individuals while reducing climate change emissions.

The same policies are being adopted in cities around the world, from Portland, Oregon, to Paris and Melbourne. And many professional organisations in the UK, from the Town & Country Planning Association to Sport England, are among the supporters.

Details of Richmond's approach are contained in the new Local Plan, which was approved by the Council's Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee this week and will go before the full Council on Friday.

It is backed by the ruling Lib-Dems and the Green Party, who are the official opposition on the Council. However, it may upset drivers in a borough that has a higher percentage of car ownership per household than any other in the capital.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (Credit London Living Streets)

The Local Plan effectively sets out the Council approach to future planning applications and ensuring the many major housing schemes in the pipeline conform with the 20-minute neighbourhood ideal.

The plan states: "To help people and places to thrive we need to transform the way we live. We need to create environments that make it easier to be physically active, enhance opportunities for walking and cycling safely, create high quality public spaces and public realm, improve connectivity and accessibility for all, and focus on supporting the high streets, centres and parades as destinations that people want to go to and use to 'live locally'.

"Creating a borough where everything a resident needs can be reached within 20 minutes by foot or bike will not only improve the quality of life but will bring multiple benefits of healthier lifestyles, cleaner air, stronger local economies and above all better resilience against climate change."

It says the ''living locally' concept will be achieved by:

* Giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs, through a mixed pattern of land uses including food and necessities, within a 20-minute walk from home, with safe cycling and local public transport options;

* Facilitating access to quality public transport that connects people to jobs and other places they need to go to, especially improving inclusive access and overcoming barriers for people who experience reduced mobility;

* Promoting and enabling healthier lifestyles and active living by improving walking and cycling infrastructure to achieve the borough's target of 75% of trips being undertaken by walking, cycling and public transport;

* Offering a high-quality public realm and open spaces;

* Delivering new developments at densities that make local services and transport viable;

* Improving accessibility and connectivity of green infrastructure;

* Facilitating thriving local economies;

* Following the Mayor's Healthy Streets Approach to ensure walking and cycling are the natural choices for local journeys, and using the Healthy Streets Toolkit to assess new infrastructure schemes.

Pedestrianised Monmatre, Paris (Credit Chan Lee/Unsplash)

The idea of helping people to live in communities with all the major services they need within 20 minutes is relatively uncontroversial. However, there have been protests when they are coupled with the creation of so-called Low Traffic Networks. (LTNs)

There have been protests in cities such as Oxford, while a Tory leader on Hounslow Borough Council had to apologise after likening LTN car restrictions to

Apartheid South Africa's pass laws.

In the House of Commons, the Tory MP Nick Fletcher described 20-minute neighbourhoods as a 'socialist concept', adding: "These will take away your personal freedoms."

There is only one mention of LTNs in the Richmond Local Plan. It states: "The Council will make use of planning obligations to create or reinforce successful 20-minute neighbourhoods.

"This could be relating to play and recreational facilities, low traffic neighbourhoods, walking and cycling infrastructure and active travel networks, public space and public realm improvements, green infrastructure provision, daily service provision, in line with other policies in this Plan.

"Conditions may be applied to planning permissions to retain a specific land use to ensure the continued and reinforced provision of services that enable

living locally."

* What is your view of the concept of the 20-minute neighbourhood? Are you a fan of LTNs?

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