The objective of this site is to allow the community to monitor and take part in the in the development of Goudhurst Parish Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP).

Neighbourhood planning is a right for communities introduced through the Localism Act 2011. A Neighbourhood Development Plan is one way in which we can create our vision for our community and shape future development in the parish.

Who asked for a plan?

On 22nd September there was a public meeting in Goudhurst Village Hall attended by some 238 residents. The overall concept of the plan was outlined and there was 100% agreement that a Neighbourhood Development Plan would benefit the parish. This was formally registered with TWBC.

Why prepare a Neighbourhood Plan?

Over the coming years Goudhurst, like many other communities will face challenges for new development. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) housing allocation has been increased significantly by central government and TWBC have already a made Requests for Sites (http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/residents/planning/planning-policy/new-local-plan) some of which are within our parish.

It is not a sustainable argument to say that Goudhurst will resist all change and the absence of a community vision for our parish could leave us more vulnerable. A Neighbourhood Development Plan provides a strong framework enabling the residents of Goudhurst to have a real influence over what development takes place, where it takes place and the rate of growth.

Next Steps

More detail around the overall process can be found by following the links on the left.

We will be providing updates on this site, through email and on appropriate social media. If you would like to have a more active role and contribute to the development of the plan please contact enquiries@ndp.goudhurst.com.

We have a steering group to manage the overall development plan. The starting point for our plan is to understand our community in more detail measuring how our parish has changed and evolved in recent times. This will be the start of our evidence base and will position us to question the whole community (business and residents) for their vision for the parish over the next 15+ years.

We created five working groups at the public meeting held in Goudhurst Church on 6th October. These working groups are now beginning the task of building the evidence base that will underpin the delivery of our Neighbourhood Development Plan. The five groups were:

• Landscape, Character Assessment
• Business and Development
• Social and Community
• Traffic and Transport
• Questionnaire
• Publicity

Each of these groups has a terms of reference.

Landscape and Character Assessment

Landscape and Character Assessment covers the natural landscape and the existing built environment. They will consider

• Natural features: e.g. rivers
• History and heritage assets
• Building and heritage Listings
• Historic landscape features and their settings: e.g. historic buildings, churches, archaeological earthworks, historic drover’s roads etc.
• The built environment: Distinctive local building styles and materials; traditional road and settlement patterns.
• The agricultural landscape: Farms, field boundaries, new farm buildings, related rural industries
• Views and accessibility
• Locally-distinctive green space and vegetation: e.g. woodlands, orchards, hedgerows, open common land

This is a list of the currently active post code in Goudhurst Parish

Goudhurst is a medieval village that has changed little in the last 700 years. The village is still surrounded by an ancient field system.

There are good descriptions of the village on http://goudhurst.co.uk and historical information can be found on http://goudhurstlocalhistorysociety.org

http://www.wkps.org.uk/

Your Neighbourhood Plan offers you several advantages and opportunities to influence and control development in your area. They are led by the parish and town councils and involve engaging with all residents, community groups and service providers serving your community. The plan will have to be accepted by the community through a referendum hence the crucial element of getting them on board and informing them of progress throughout the process.

Engage with all organisations, departments, local partners and residents to improve dialogue and negotiations which could help with the future development and implementation of your plan policies and proposals.

Understand the purpose, discuss and agree the key principles of the Plan, including housing numbers, locations and types and other land use and infrastructure proposals.

Draft Plan including a summary of the ‘State of the Parish’ report, the Plan objectives (including the measures by which its success will be judged in due course), the proposed land use allocations, the proposed Planning policies, the proposed infrastructure investments and a delivery Plan. Prepare draft SEA, comprising a schedule of sustainability objectives and show how each specific proposal measures up against each relevant objective. Where negative sustainability impacts are identified, to indicate how such impacts may be mitigated

Regulation 14 Consultation

Carry out the statutory minimum six weeks public consultation. The Pre Submission Plan and its associated documents such as the draft SEA and Community Right To Build Orders (CRTBO) if being undertaken should be made available electronically via websites as well as in hard copies at vantage locations across the parish/town. Hold drop in session with residents to answer queries and explain reasons for proposed policies. Collect and log the representations made during the consultation exercise. The Steering Group to the review each representation and propose an appropriate response (either agree and amend or disagree) in a single schedule.

Your final plan which is the Submission Plan must be submitted with other documents required by the neighbourhood plan regulations. These are: The Basic Conditions Statement, The Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA), The Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) if required and The Consultation Statement

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party

Once the final plan is submitted to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) with all the associated documents, it becomes the responsibility of the LPA. The LPA will once satisfied with the plan and all the documents submitted will proceed to publish them for a further six weeks consultation known as the Regulation 16 Consultation. During this period, the LPA will work with the parish or town council to appoint an examiner who will independently examine your plan and all the documents submitted. Some Local Planning Authorities may choose to agree and select the preferred examiner with the parish or town council before the final documents are even submitted.