A neighbourhood plan is a document, introduced by the Localism Act of 2011, that sets out planning policies for a local area. It is written by the local community, to ensure that the community gets the right types of development and in the right place. The plan sits alongside the national planning framework and the local plan prepared by Cherwell District Council. Once accepted it becomes a legally binding document. Decisions on planning applications will be made taking into account both the local plan and the neighbourhood plan.
Currently our neighbours, Kirtlington and Weston on the Green already have plans in place. Islip and Shipton on Cherwell and Thrupp are, like us, developing plans.
What can a neighbourhood plan do?
A neighbourhood plan is primarily about land use. It can
•Decide where and what type of development should happen
•Promote more development than is set out in the Local Plan
•Identify where housing development goes (and what type it should be)
•Identify additional land for housing, schools, employment or community facilities such a youth centre, village hall or allotments Make provision for businesses to set up or expand their premises
•Consider transport and access (including issues around roads, cycling, walking and access for disabled people).
•Restrict certain types of development and change of use, for example to avoid too much of one type of use.
•Set out policies about design of buildings
•Protect and create open space, nature reserves, sports pitches, play areas, parks and gardens, and the planting of trees
•Protect important buildings and historic assets such as archaeological remains.
•Promote renewable energy projects
There are things that it cannot do:
•Conflict with the strategic policies in the Local Plan being prepared by local District council
•Prevent development that is included in the Local Plan
•Reduce the number of houses allocated to the area in a Local Plan
•Change “Permitted Development Rights”
•Introduce traffic calming measures or weight limits
•Alter the speed limit or traffic signage
•Tackle anti-social behaviours such as dog fouling or graffiti
•Set up training programmes or schemes
•Create rights of access to private land where it does not currently exist
•Change broadband speed
You can find out more about neighbourhood planning by visiting:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/neighbourhood-planning–2#what-is-neighbourhood-planning
Other guides can be found online.