What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
· A Neighbourhood Plan is a community led plan that sets out the vision and policies for the future development of a local area. Once ‘made’ by the local planning authority it forms part of the development plan and must be used in making decisions on planning applications.
· In areas with a Parish Council, the Parish Council is called the ‘qualifying body’ and is officially in charge of preparing the Neighbourhood Plan. However, they are community plans, and it is vital that the local community is involved. If you would like to be on the steering group, please contact clerk@mobberleyparishcouncil.co.uk
· There are grants available from Central Government which the Parish Council has applied for, to cover the costs of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan.
· The community of Mobberley will have the final say as to whether the plan is approved, everyone on the electoral roll will be able to vote in a referendum as to whether the plan should be ‘made’. If more than 50% of the people who vote, vote ‘yes’ then Cheshire East officially ‘make’ the Plan and it is used by planning officers at Cheshire East to help decide the outcome of planning applications in Mobberley.
· The Neighbourhood Plan policies can be distinct to Mobberley, but must be in general conformity with Local and National Planning Policies, such as the Green Belt.
• There are no rules as to how many policies a Neighbourhood Plan should have – they could have one policy or they could have lots.
· A Neighbourhood Plan can cover all sorts of things, such as design, employment, the environment, heritage, community facilities, and infrastructure. The policies must be land use based though – they will be used by planning officers at Cheshire East Council to determine planning applications. They can’t cover issues that aren’t land use based and which a planning officer wouldn’t consider, such as speed limits, pot holes and litter.
· In Cheshire East, there are now 36 ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plans. A further 25 are underway.
What are the stages in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan?
- A Neighbourhood Plan has five main stages
- The Neighbourhood Area must be designated (this has been done)
- The Neighbourhood Plan must be prepared (this is where we are now)
- The Neighbourhood Plan is examined by an independent examiner
- The official referendum is held
- The Neighbourhood Plan is officially ‘Made’ by Cheshire East Council.
· By far the longest stage is preparing the Neighbourhood Plan, and there are various consultation periods that must be undertaken. Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan is a fairly lengthy process, and can take at least two years or more. It is quite hard to definitively state specific dates as to when each stage of the Neighbourhood Plan will be completed, as a lot depends on what comments are received, and what topics are covered.
· A steering group has been set up to help prepare the Neighbourhood Plan. If you would like to be involved, please contact clerk@mobberleyparishcouncil.co.uk
· Various surveys will be undertaken and consultation events will be held, to hear the views of residents, and provide updates on how the plan is progressing.
· Following the initial survey, a vision and objectives will be drawn up, and there will be a clearer idea of what is important to the local community, and which policy topics should therefore be covered in the Neighbourhood Plan.
· Specific reports may be commissioned to help provide evidence for the policies, such as a wildlife report or a character study. All policies must be robustly justified as they need to pass an examination.
· When the plan has been drafted, the Parish Council will hold a six week consultation to ask for opinions on the plan. All comments will be carefully considered and the plan amended accordingly.
· The Parish Council will then officially submit the amended plan to Cheshire East Council, along with a ‘consultation statement’, which explains how the plan has been consulted upon. The consultation statement must provide details of who was consulted, how they were consulted, what they said, and how the plan was amended accordingly. Additionally a ‘basic conditions statement’ must be submitted, showing how the policies conform to local and national policies and how they contribute to sustainable development.
· Cheshire East Council then run a further six week consultation, asking for comments on the plan. These comments are passed on to an independently appointed examiner, who then examines the plan, and states whether the plan can proceed to a referendum, and may make some further changes to the plan.
· Cheshire East Council organise and hold the referendum. Everyone on the electoral roll of Mobberley is eligible to vote. It is an official referendum, with polling cards etc. If more than 50% of the people who vote, vote ‘yes’, then Cheshire East officially ‘make’ the Plan and it is used by planning officers at Cheshire East to help decide the outcome of planning applications in Mobberley.
· The time-o-metre highlights the various stages, where Mobberley are in the process, and the next steps that need to be taken.
MOBBERLEY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (Time-o-metre June 2022)
