Title:ÂÂ THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FOR UTTOXETER
Date:ÂÂ 22nd February 2016
Contact:ÂÂ JOSEPHINE SAMUELS (01625 26 52 32/ jo.samuels@bpud.co.uk)
For immediate release:
THE DRAFT NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN AND HOUSING EXPLAINED
The Uttoxeter Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group would like to offer clarification on the relationship between the draft Neighbourhood Plan and sites allocated for housing in and around the town.
There have been some concerns that the Neighbourhood Plan is supporting or even proposing new housing development within the town. This is not the case. The following bullet points set out the relationship between the Neighbourhood Plan and housing allocations;
1. The Neighbourhood Plan is required by national regulation to be in ‘general ÂÂÂ conformity’ with the strategic policies of the East Staffordshire Local Plan which was adopted in 2015. In practise means that Neighbourhood Plans must comply with land allocations made within the Local Plan, including sites allocated for housing and employment uses (this includes Land West of Uttoxeter, employment land to the east ÂÂÂ of Uttoxeter and smaller allocations for housing to the south of the town).
2. Once a Neighbourhood Plan has been written and adopted, East Staffordshire Borough ÂÂÂ Council are required to consider the policies in the plan when deciding on planning ÂÂÂ applications for new development in Uttoxeter Town Parish (the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan), alongside the East Staffordshire Local Plan 2015.
3. The Neighbourhood Plan can not alter housing allocations within the East ÂÂÂ Staffordshire Local Plan 2015 but does have the power to introduce new allocations. ÂÂÂ The Town Council and Steering Group are however, clear that they consider further ÂÂÂ allocations are unnecessary.
4. ÂÂÂÂ The Neighbourhood Plan can however, shape how housing is delivered on those sites ÂÂÂ through planning policies on architectural design, density, mix and type of houses ÂÂÂ provided. Policies have been drafted accordingly.
5. ÂÂÂÂ The Neighbourhood Plan can also seek financial contributions from these schemes in ÂÂÂ order to implement any highways or infrastructure work needed as a result of ÂÂÂ development.
6. The Steering Group remains committed to using the Neighbourhood Plan to make ÂÂÂ the planning system more accessible to the local community. They want to ensure ÂÂÂ residents and local business owners are fully informed of what is planned for the ÂÂÂ ÂÂÂ area and how they can contribute to how planning decisions are made.
7. For clarity the Steering Group have chosen to include within the Neighbourhood Plan a map which displays all of the sites allocated for development by the Borough Council in addition to sites approved on appeal. This is in order to provide context for ÂÂÂ the Neighbourhood Plan and its policies and to ensure that residents are fully informed of where and when development might be expected to occur.
8. The map included is for information only. Its aim is to ensure residents are fully ÂÂÂ informed of the ‘big picture’ for Uttoxeter. It also demonstrates why there is a need ÂÂÂ for the Neighbourhood Plan as a tool to ensure that the development which does ÂÂÂ occur is the best it can be for residents. The Neighbourhood Plan is not allocating any sites for housing and does not have the power to change allocations made by ÂÂÂ East Staffordshire Borough Council.
ENDS.
Notes for Editors:
Uttoxeter Town Council formed a Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee which has worked with the Cheshire based planning consultancy BPUD Limited in the development of the plan.
Members of the steering group will be at the Market on Saturday 27th February from 9am to 2pm – reporters and photographers are invited to attend. In addition to two further events on the 2nd and 3rd of March at the Town Hall between 10am and 3pm.Â
Neighbourhood Plans were introduced by central government in 2010 to give communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and to shape the development and growth of their local area through the planning system.
For interview requests please contact Jo Samuels, BPUD Limited, 01625 262924, jo.samuels@bpud.co.uk