What are neighbourhood plans?
Neighbourhood plans can establish a vision for an area as well as general planning policies for the development and use of land in a neighbourhood. They should be about local rather than strategic issues. For example they could cover where new shops, offices or homes should go and what green spaces should be protected or other planning related issues.
Neighbourhood plans should be focused on guiding development rather than stopping it. They also have to be in line with national policy and the Council’s local planning policies. Once adopted they will become part of the statutory planning framework and be used to guide decisions on planning applications.
What is the scope of a neighbourhood plan?
A Neighbourhood Plan can…
- Decide where and what type of development should happen in the neighbourhood.
- Promote more development than is set out in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.
- Include policies, for example regarding design standards, that take precedence over existing policies in the Local Plan for the neighbourhood – provided the Neighbourhood Plan policies do not conflict with the strategic policies in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.
A Neighbourhood Plan cannot…
- Conflict with the strategic policies in the Core Strategy prepared by Wiltshire Council.
- Be used to prevent development that is included in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.
How does this relate to the Town Plan?
Why would this interest me?
Who will prepare them?
What areas can be covered by a neighbourhood plan?
What is Cricklade's Neighbourhood Area?
Therefore in December 2012 Cricklade Town Council applied to designate the parish of Cricklade as its own independent Neighbourhood Area. Cricklade’s application is available for download from http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planninganddevelopment/planningpolicy/neighbourhoodplanning/neighbourhoodareadesignations.htm
The application was formally approved on 28th February 2013.
What are other parishes and communities doing?
The town of Royal Wootton Bassett also decided to request its own independent Neighbourhood Area, but most of the remaining predominately rural parishes within Cricklade’s Community Area are continuing to work together on a North East Wiltshire Villages Neighbourhood Plan.
Elsewhere within Wiltshire three other “Frontrunner” areas within Wiltshire (Malmesbury including its two surrounding parishes, part of Warminster and Sherston parish) are developing Neighbourhood Plans along a similar timescale to Cricklade.
Nationally there were well over a hundred “Frontrunner” areas, but so far only three have reached the final stages of the process.
What is Wiltshire Council’s role?
Wiltshire Council as Local Planning Authority has a duty to provide technical advice and support to those producing a neighbourhood plan. It also has to:
- agree the boundary of the area to be covered by a neighbourhood plan
- organise the check by an independent examiner into a neighbourhood plan and the referendum
- adopt the neighbourhood plan and bring it into force.
The Council’s role should be clarified once the regulations have been adopted.
How can I get involved?
A small group reporting to the Town Council is organising two drop in sessions at the Town Hall on Saturday 6 April and Thursday 11 April which will start the process of consultation and we hope everyone interested in the future of the town and its immediate surroundings will take the opportunity to attend. There will be time at these events and immediately following for you to express your views on what your vision is for the future of Cricklade. Following these events there will be opportunity for volunteers representing all parts of the community to join focus groups dedicated to analysing all responses and examining relevant issues in more detail.