Neighbourhood Planning

Ackworth Neighbourhood Plan

Carole Crookes – Spatial Policy, Planning Services

Background to neighbourhood

planning

• Introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

• Allows local people to be involved in shaping the

future of the areas in which they live and work.

• Gives people greater involvement and ownership of

the plans and policies that affect their area.

What is a neighbourhood plan?

In very simple terms, a neighbourhood plan:

• Sets out planning policies for a specific local area.

• Once adopted will be used to decide whether to

approve planning applications in the area.

• Is written by the local community rather than the

Local Planning Authority.

• Ensures the community gets the right types of

development, in the right place.

• Is an important document with real legal force.

What should a neighbourhood

plan contain?

• Policies which relate to the use of land in the parish.

• Policies relating to what green spaces should be

protected, where new shops, offices or homes should

go and what they should look like.

• It is up to the community to decide what to include in

the neighbourhood plan and how much detail they

want it to have.

• Neighbourhood plans cannot be used to stop

development or promote less development than is

already set out in a development plan.

Who prepares the plan?

• Neighbourhood planning is not led by Wakefield

Council as our role is only to advise, manage and

support the process.

• Here in the Ackworth parish it will be led by the

Parish Council.

• Although every parish or town council has the right to

produce a neighbourhood plan not all will want to do

so.

• It will be up to each parish or town to decide if a

neighbourhood plan would benefit their area.

What is the role of the

community?

• Community involvement is a very important part of

preparing a neighbourhood plan.

• Local communities should be encouraged and given

the opportunity to be involved at every stage.

• This will be tested at various stages by different

bodies to make sure that the process truly reflects

local aspirations.

Submission

• After the draft version of the plan has been prepared

it will be formally submitted to Wakefield Council.

• We will then publish the draft plan for people (not just

local people) to make comments over a six-week

period.

• An independent examiner will also be appointed, with

the agreement of Ackworth Parish Council.

• All the comments made will be passed on to the

examiner for consideration.

Independent Examination

A neighbourhood plan is not a stand-alone document

and it must comply with a number of European Union

Directives and be in line with both national and local

policy. The main purpose of an examination is to

ensure that a neighbourhood plan:

• Meets European obligations.

• Has regard to national planning policies.

• Is in general conformity with the policies of the

development plan.

• Contributes to the achievement of sustainable

development.

Local Referendum

If the plan passes the examination then the next stage

will be for it to be put to a local referendum in the parish

of Ackworth.

• The local community will have an opportunity to vote

‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether or not they think it is the right

plan for their area.

• To be successful over 50% of those who vote have to

want the plan to be used.

• If the plan includes things that local people do not

agree with then there is a risk that the majority may

vote not to accept the plan.

Adoption of the plan

Wakefield Council will formally adopt (make) the plan

and use it when considering planning applications in

the parish if:

• It goes through a successful referendum.

• Wakefield Council are satisfied that the making of the

plan would not breach any EU obligation or any of

the Convention rights (Human Rights Act 1998).

Where are we now?

• The process of preparing a neighbourhood plan for

the parish of Ackworth has already started.

• Ackworth Parish Council applied to Wakefield

Council to have the entire parish of Ackworth

designated a neighbourhood area.

• Members of the public were invited to comment on

the application between 17 September and 14

October 2015

• The Council formally designated the Ackworth

Neighbourhood Area on 12 November 2015.

Your parish – your plan!

Further information and a copy of this presentation can

be found on the Ackworth NP website by going to:

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/residents/planning/policy/n

eighbourhood-planning

With the first legal stage completed it is now for the

community to decide how the plan should be prepared.

That is the role of this evening’s meeting which will be

addressed later.

What should the plan contain?

• There is no fixed format or template for a

neighbourhood plan.

• The Ackworth plan could be general and broad-

brush, or narrow and detailed.

• The plan could contain just policies or could also

allocate land for certain uses.

• It is up to you, the community of Ackworth, to decide.

Issues to consider

• Scale, type, mix and location of development (e.g.

housing and space for businesses)

• Provision of community facilities and open space for

recreation, play areas and wildlife.

• Alternative ways of using land such as open space,

tree planting or environmental improvement.

• Different 'conditions' that might be applied to

development, such as how development should look

(its design) or how transport issues should be

incorporated.

Other considerations

Strategic Environmental Assessment

• A neighbourhood development plan may require a

strategic environmental assessment (SEA) under the

European Union regulations – but this will depend on

the content of the neighbourhood plan.

Sustainability Appraisal

• A formal sustainability appraisal of the plan is not

required but what is advisable, is a review of the

sustainability impact of a neighbourhood plan.

Who pays?

• The cost of the independent examination and

referendum which will be met by Wakefield Council.

• Some costs will have to be met by the Parish

Council. This may include preparing evidence

(particularly if consultants have to be appointed),

consultation, undertaking a sustainability appraisal

and advertising/printing/distribution costs.

Financial help for communities

• The Department for Communities and Local

Government provide funding to help with the

preparation of neighbourhood plans.

• The ‘My Community’ website has community rights

information and grant information.

http://mycommunity.org.uk/programme/neighbourhood-planning/

• They offer different types of support to help

communities write their neighbourhood plans.

Neighbourhood Planning Grant

From 1 February 2016 all groups writing a

neighbourhood plan are eligible to apply for up to

£9,000 to spend from 1 April 2016. Some ideas of what

you might apply to use grant monies for include:

• Developing a website

• Help with putting together a project plan

• Undertaking a household survey

• Help with developing the evidence base

• Engaging a planning expert

• Venue hire, publicity materials, printing and other costs

associated with consultation.

Resources

A plan will cost as much or as little as you want it to – it

depends on your ambitions for its scope, its evidence base,

the nature of your public engagement and the standard and

style of production. For example:

• The Parish Council preparing the Strumpshaw Plan spent

a total of £4,220 with the majority of the money being

spent on printing which cost about £3,500. Timewise

from designation to referendum was 15 months.

• Exeter St. James’ Plan cost £10,450 they spent £6,500

on consultants. Their plan took 11 months to reach

referendum from designation.

• Within Wakefield district there

are four designated

neighbourhood areas, including

Ackworth.

• The Walton Neighbourhood Plan

has been through a successful

referendum – it was the first in

the Leeds City Region to do so!

• It is anticipated that it will be

adopted by the Council on 13

April 2016

Neighbourhood Planning in Wakefield

Walton Neighbourhood Plan

• The Walton Neighbourhood Plan was prepared by

Walton Parish Council.

• They received grant funding which helped with

various aspects of their plan preparation including,

evidence base reports, printing and webpage design.

• Further information about their plan can be found at:

http://www.waltonplan.co.uk/

Summary - A Neighbourhood

Plan ….

• Allows local people to be involved in shaping the future

of the areas in which they live and work.

• Gives people greater involvement and ownership of the

plans and policies that affect their area.

• Is an important document with real legal force.

• Is led by the Parish Council and not Wakefield Council.

• Puts community involvement at the very heart of

preparing a neighbourhood plan.

• Is tested at various stages by different bodies to make

sure that the process truly reflects local aspirations.

Summary - A Neighbourhood

Plan …. • Does not have a fixed format or template.

• Could be general and broad-brush, or narrow and

detailed.

• Can take as long as you want it to take to prepare as

there are no set maximum timescales.

• Does involve some costs having to be met by the

Parish Council.

• Can cost as much or as little as you want it to – it

depends on your ambitions.

• Allows eligible groups writing one to apply for a

Neighbourhood Planning Grant of up to £9,000.

Summary - A Neighbourhood

Plan ….

Your parish – your plan!