Events

The latest Community Newsletter is now available.  Click here to download your copy or click on the Community Newsletter page

Neighbourhood planning – this is important to everyone in the community

You may be aware that Clyffe-Pypard Parish is undertaking a Neighbourhood Planning process.  This note explains what it is, why it matters, and what is happening.

What is it?

Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to decide the future of the places where they live and work. The government introduced the community right to do neighbourhood planning through the Localism Act 2011.  This process gives us more control over the future of our area by giving us, the local people, the chance to have our say on what happens where we live. 

Why does it matter to everyone in the community?

A neighbourhood plan would allow us as a community to determine what kind of development and planning decisions are made about our community.  Once a Neighbourhood Plan is “made” it will be very influential on the County Council’s decisions on planning applications for new developments in our area.  So, if you care what is or isn’t built in our community, it is important that you make your views known at the appropriate moment.  

How does it work?

The process has to be led by a town or parish council. For Wiltshire, the detailed process is described as a 14-stage process which is described on the Wiltshire County Council web-site. It involves: 

Process initiation by the Parish Council, defining a neighbourhood area and designation of the Parish as a planning area by Wiltshire Council and forming a steering group.  The Steering Group develops objectives, priorities and a vision and agrees an approach the develops the draft plan through community engagement and evidence collection.  There are two 6-week consultation periods before Wilts Council sends the plan to an independent examiner to check that the plan is in compliance with policy and process.  It all ends with a Community referendum and, if there is a majority in favour, the plan is “made” and published

This process is important.  We are required to follow this to ensure that we end up with a Plan that satisfies the Council’s independent examiner before the plan can go to referendum

How far have we got?

Some work has already been done.  The Parish Council secured designation of Clyffe Pypard parish as a Neighbourhood Area to undertake this process by Wiltshire County Council in July 2017.  (Note. This had previously been part of the North-East Wiltshire Villages (NEW-V) joint effort to undertake planning over a wider area but after a number of villages dropped out, it became clear that we had do go it alone).  We have formed a steering group and undertaken a housing needs survey (awaiting results).  The work already undertaken to develop the community plan (available on the Parish web site) will also be an important input to this process.    

Where is there more information?

More information on neighbourhood planning, the process requirements and what it all means is available on the Wiltshire County Council website here: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planning-neighbourhood-what 

We will keep this Neighbourhood Planning progress and information section on this website up to date with progress and the latest consultations and opportunities to make inputs.  

<< New text box >>