PUBLIC CONSULTATION DROP IN EVENTS:
SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY 10.30AM - 1.00PM
SATURDAY 23RD JANUARY 10.30AM - 1.00PM
TO BE HELD IN THE SAXON ROOM, STEYNING CENTRE, FLETCHER'S CROFT, STEYNING, WEST SUSSEX, BN44 3XZ
We are inviting all local residents and businesses to view displays and information on potential sites. This is your Neighbourhood Plan and it is vitally important that we hear your views and feedback.
Following the Localism Act 2011, local Councils have the option to draft and produce their own Neighbourhood Plan and shape the future of their own community. Steyning, Wiston, Ashurst and Bramber Parish Councils each considered the costs and implications of drafting a plan, both independently and as a cluster. Following much consideration, Councillors agreed that the most cost effective and robust plan would be achieved by clustering. Steering Group members look forward to working with the community to draft a Neighbourhood Plan - a strategic, statutory document, effective for 15 years. The plan will focus on local business and economy, community facilities, transport, accessibility, heritage, environment, local treasures and assets, as well as housing need in the area.
In order to draft an informed and effective Neighbourhood Plan, it is essential that the Steering Group are aware of any areas of land where the landowner has an intention of making it available for development at any time in the future. Please see below for a copy of the 'Call for Sites' letter due to go out shortly to owners of land within areas identified by HDC as having a potential for development.
Autumn update
The 70+ resident volunteers in the SWAB Steering Group & Focus Groups have continued their work towards building our Neighbourhood Plan throughout the summer period.
The local Youth Survey, devised by young people themselves, was launched online in mid-July and will gather valuable additional data for the SWAB Neighbourhood Plan as well as information about the views, needs & ideas of young people, for Steyning & several other local Parish Councils to consider. Our NP is for the future of our whole community and it’s vitally important we include input from those who will then be adults themselves.
The Stage One Report has now been finalised, and includes summaries of the community views from our residents’ survey on each of our Focus Group topics.
The “Call for Sites” process has so far resulted in 18 sites offered for consideration for potential planned development within the NP. These include sites for all 4 parishes, and we hope to now have sufficient for our future needs.
We have had an introductory meeting with representatives from South Downs National Park authority to help them gain an understanding of our needs and for us to understand their priorities in relation to potential local development.
The Housing Focus Group members have been working on the site selection criteria to ensure that each is assessed robustly and as objectively as possible, on criteria relevant to planning and residents’ views expressed in the survey. Once the Steering Group approves the selection criteria, sites will be assessed individually. A recommendation will be made of those best suited to our future community needs. Though site locations will necessarily remain confidential during this process, they will all be reported publically in due course to give residents the opportunity to comment on this important element for our draft plan.
Residents can view our deliverable documents and Steering Group meeting minutes, as well as periodic news updates on our website:- http://www.swabneighbourhoodplan.org
We anticipate another SWAB public meeting in the Autumn to provide a fuller project update and Q & A session. We currently expect the referendum on the finalised Neighbourhood Plan to be in late Spring 2016.
Help
Local Authorities have the duty to support your parish/town in preparing a plan. However, before you decide on a neighbourhood plan, consider the length of time and financial implications of producing one. The complexity of your plan will depend on what it is trying to achieve be it a single topic issues or a wide ranging. Your cost could also be impacted by the size of your population when it comes to surveys and community engagement activities.
The first formal stage of preparing a neighbourhood plan is to get your parish/town/area designated. Your community can begin to identify their issues and concerns as well as aspirations before you become a fully designated area. However, in the case of funding, your community will not be eligible to apply until you become formally designated as neighbourhood plan area.
