Neighbourhood Plan
The Parish Council has decided to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan which, when complete, will be used by the District Council when deciding planning applications. A neighbourhood plan:
- allows local people to play an active part in planning their area and relies on community involvement throughout their preparation
- must be approved in a Parish Referendum before they can be used
- contains planning policies for matters that require planning permission
- cannot be used to block development that is already in a Local Plan
- needs to be backed up by evidence that supports what it’s seeking to achieve
- and, when complete, attracts an uplift to the Parish Council of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) arising from development in the area.
The process
Preparing a Plan requires a number of stages to be followed, as identified below. There is no short cut.
Information Gathering
The process will start with an information event at the Village Hall on Saturday 27 October between 10.00am and 2.00pm where a display will provide the background to neighbourhood plans and why it’s important that Brantham prepares one.
At a later date we will also carry out a survey of residents to find out opinions on a number of matters as well as gathering other information and statistics to inform what the Plan might cover.
Community Feedback
Once all the information is gathered, we will provide feedback at another event which could include seeking opinions on options for what goes in the Plan. At this stage a decision might have to be made about identifying future sites for housing.
Prepare and Consult on Draft Plan
The Draft Plan will take the form of a report accompanied with maps. Once prepared, we are required to carry out consultation over a period of at least six weeks, providing everyone an opportunity to comment and identify any changes that they would like.
Amend the Plan and Submit it to the District Council
All comments received during the consultation will be reviewed and the Draft Plan will amended where necessary. It will then be submitted to the District Council.
Further Consultation and Independent Examination
The District Council will carry out a further round of consultation on the submitted Draft Plan before it is submitted to an independent Neighbourhood Plan Examiner. The Examiner may require some changes to ensure the Plan conforms with national and local planning policies.
Parish Referendum
The Plan will then be the subject of a Parish Referendum, held in the same way as a local election. If more than 50% of those that vote approve of the Plan, it must be adopted by the District Council and used by them when deciding planning applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take to produce a neighbourhood plan?
Typically, most of our work can be completed in two years.
What does a Plan look like?
The Plan is a written document, typically of around 50-60 pages, covering a number of planning related topics. It would also include maps and illustrations.
Who prepares the Plan?
A Working Group of volunteers formed by the Parish Council has the responsibility for preparing the Plan, but it will need to be approved by the Parish Council. A planning consultant that has prepared over 40 plans has been retained to help with the technical work.
What can a neighbourhood plan cover?
Although Plans have to focus on planning matters (things that needs planning permission) they can include non-planning topics to address areas of concern or ambitions of the community.
Who else has prepared them?
Locally, neighbourhood plans have been prepared at East Bergholt, Stutton, Holbrook, Tattingstone, Bentley and Capel St Mary.