Neighbourhood Development Plan
What is a Neighbourhood Development Plan?
A Neighbourhood Development Plan is a framework developed by the community for guiding the future development, regeneration and conservation of an area. It is about the use and development of land and may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area, providing new facilities, or allocating key sites for specific kinds of development. It may deal with a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues (such as housing, employment, heritage and transport) or it may focus on just a few. Plans can specify the design of buildings, development of schools, health, leisure and community facilities and infrastructure plans such as transport, walking and cycling provision and disabled access. It can also include the protection and creation of open spaces, nature reserves, allotments, sports pitches, play areas and parks as well as important buildings and historic assets. This is for the community to decide.
A successful Neighbourhood Development Plan will become part of the statutory planning decisions for our District. Its legal status gives Neighbourhood Plans far more weight than other local documents, such as Parish Plans. A Neighbourhood Development Plan must comply with relevant legislation, as well as generally conforming to existing strategic local planning policies. It should not promote less development than that already identified by Stratford District Council in the District’s development plan and can promote more. The Neighbourhood Development Plan can however specify policies and guidance on how new development should be designed, orientated and located. Once the Plan has reached its final draft, it will be put before the Parish in a referendum.
Examination and Referendum
Stratford District Council carried out a six-week public consultation on the Submission (Reg.16) version of the Ilmington Neighbourhood Plan. The consultation started on Thursday 16th May 2019 and closed on Friday 28th June 2019. Following completion of the Regulation 16 (Formal Submission) consultation, the Ilmington Neighbourhood Plan was sent for examination by an independent examiner. The examiner then issued his report to the District Council in February 2020. Ilmington Parish Council has been supportive of the Neighbourhood Plan process throughout
The Council has accepted the examiner's recommended modifications on the Ilmington Neighbourhood Plan and issued the decision that the plan should proceed to referendum. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the referendum had to be postponed but has now been scheduled for Thursday, 6th May 2021.
Referendum documents
You can view the submission Referendum version of the Plan and associated documents online by going to https://www.stratford.gov.uk/ilmingtonnp.
These documents include:
- The Ilmington Neighbourhood Plan
- The Examination Report
- Basic Conditions Statement
- Consultation Statement
- Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA)
What happens next?
Below is a brief summary, taken from the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning guidance, of what happens next.
You can read more about Neighbourhood Planning on GOV.UK.
Bringing the neighbourhood plan into force:
- Relevant council publishes information statement.
- Relevant council publishes notice of referendum.
- Polling takes place (in a business area an additional referendum is held).
- Results are declared.
- Should a majority of those voting vote in favour of the neighbourhood plan, the plan comes into force as part of the local planning policy
- The Plan has legal effect once it is 'made' by the local planning authority.
