NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN - WHY DO WE NEED ONE?
A Neighbourhood Plan is a document that sets out the planning policies and spatial and infrastructure priorities for the designated Neighbourhood Area. Planning Policies are used to decide whether to approve planning applications.
It is written by the local community, the people who know and love the area.
Local people can create a plan that allows them to develop planning policies that reflect the priorities of the area and have real legal weight. The whole community decides at a referendum vote whether the local authority should bring The Plan into force.
Why do we need one?
There is enormous pressure for development across the UK to provide housing, employment, community facilities and infrastructure. Some of the demand for new development will HAVE to be met in the Batchworth Community Council area. The Neighbourhood Plan is required to set out how it will facilitate development – not stop it. It can’t be a ‘not in my back yard’ device.
If adopted, the existence of a Plan will ensure that Batchworth Community
Council will be entitled to receive 25% of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies from development in the Neighbourhood Area, this is a charge levied on developments, which is used to fund social and physical infrastructure projects in the area. Currently Batchworth Community Council only receives 15% of CIL monies, the additional 10%
would make a significant difference.
The broad policies which any Neighbourhood Plan must comply with, are set out in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and in Three Rivers District Council’s (TRDC) Local Plan (currently under review).
Your Community Council are keen to bring local views to bear when deciding how the Neighbourhood Plan is progressed and will ensure this process is community led.
The Process
The Process for devising, agreeing and adopting a Neighbourhood Plan broadly follows 5-steps as shown below. You will have the opportunity to comment along the way and become involved if you wish.
Just fill in your details below to stay up to date. And THANK YOU for being a part of The Plan!
