What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
Neighbourhood planning is the right for communities, introduced through the Localism Act of 2011, to shape the development in their area through the production of a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NP).
The NP will become part of the Local Plan produced by the local authority Horsham District Council (HDC) and the policies contained within them are then used in the determination of planning applications. It must be stressed that the policies produced cannot block development that is already part of the Local Plan. What they can do is shape where that development will go and what it will look like.
NP's are one of the community rights, inconjunction with the right to:-
- Build
- Bid
- Challenge
- Reclaim Land. (See the My Community Rights website for more information.)
How Does it Work?
The Parish Council will appoint a Working Party (NPWP) that will lead on the NP. HDC will also be involved in the decisions at key stages of the process, such as approving the area within which the NP will take effect. It will also organise the independent examination of the plan and the community referendum that is held at the end of the process.
The referendum is an important part of the process allowing those that live in the Parish to decide whether or not the NP, will come into effect or not. This is direct democracy and outlines the importance of working with the wider community and securing their support at an early stage in the process.
Submission of the Neighbourhood Plan
On the 9th July 2020 the Lower Beeding Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to Horsham District Council Planning Department. The following documents were submitted: -
1. The Neighbourhood Plan, July 2020
2. Sustainability Assessment, July 2020
3. Submission SA, Non-Technical Summary, July 2020
4. Basics Condition Statement, July 2020
5. Consultation Statement, July 2020
Regulation 17 Consultation
Submission of plan proposal to examination.
The Lower Beeding Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to the examiner at the end of April 2021 and the Examiner began his investigation on 17th May 2021.
Reg 17
As soon as possible after the appointment of a person to carry out an examination under paragraph 7 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act (as applied by section 38A of the 2004 Act), a local planning authority must send the following to the person appointed—
(a)the plan proposal;
(b)the documents referred to in regulation 15(1) and any other document submitted to the local planning authority by the qualifying body in relation to the plan proposal;
(c)if the order proposal is one to which the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010(1) applies, the information submitted in accordance with regulation 102A of those Regulations; and
(d)a copy of any representations which have been made in accordance with regulation 16.
Please be aware that all comments received will be publicly available and may be included on the Parish Council website.