Neighbourhood planning

The government’s advice (external website) is that we should stay at home and keep away from others. We would therefore strongly advise town/parish councils preparing neighbourhood plans not to undertake any public consultation (unless it is exclusively online/web-based with an email or online survey response) for the purposes of preparing a neighbourhood plan until the government’s restrictions on the public freedom of movement have been lifted. In addition, town/parish councils should not carry out statutory Pre Submission Consultation and Publicity (Regulation 14*) as it is not considered that the regulatory requirements of consultation and publicity can safely be met.

We will not be undertaking any Neighbourhood Area consultation (Regulation 6*), Publicising a Plan Proposal or a Modification Proposal (Regulation 16*) consultation and no Neighbourhood Plan Referendums shall take place until the government’s restrictions on the public freedom of movement have been lifted and we are satisfied that the full terms of the regulatory requirements (and terms of the adopted Statements of Community Involvement) can be met.

The Government announced on 7 April 2020 that no Neighbourhood Plan Referendums can take place until 6 May 2021. These provisions will be kept under review by Government and may be amended or revoked in response to changing circumstances.

We will update parish and town councils and our websites when there has been a material change in the circumstances set out above.

9 April 2020

* The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 as amended 

 

The process of developing a neighbourhood plan has six main stages:

1. residents apply to be designated as a neighbourhood forum (where the area is not covered by a parish)
   
   
2. the community applies to designate their area as a neighbourhood area (where the area is covered by a parish, this will be the parish council area)
   
   
3. the community produces, and consults on, a draft neighbourhood development plan
   
   
4. the community submit their draft neighbourhood development plan to us. We then publish the submission neighbourhood plan for a further consultation, and any responses received at this stage are sent to an independent examiner
   
   
5. if the neighbourhood development plan passes independent examination, then the local community votes in a referendum on whether it supports the plan and wants it to be used to help determine applications for development in the local area
   
   
6. if the plan receives a majority "yes" vote at referendum, then it will be "made" (adopted) as a part of the development plan and used to inform planning decisions in that neighbourhood area

Interested in the process of neighbourhood planning? Get further information via:

• Locality neighbourhood planning - everything you need to know about neighbourhood planning and how to get started, including information about possible grants that may be available
• MHCLG notes on neighbourhood planning - regular bulletins from the neighbourhood planning team at the Department for Communities and Local Government

 

What's happened so far?

In August 2016 Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Parish Council submitted a proposed neighbourhood plan for formal consultation. After we consulted on the plan, we submitted it for independent external examination. After reviewing the examiner's report, we decided that the plan (with some changes) would go to referendum. Over 80 per cent of those eligible to vote voted in favour of the Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Neighbourhood Plan. 

What's happening next?

Following the result of the referendum on 23 June 2017, we adopted ('made') the Bledlow-cum-Saunderton neighbourhood plan (BCINDP). The plan is now used alongside the Local Plan when determining planning applications in the designated neighbourhood area (Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Parish).

View the adopted Bledlow-cum-Saunderton neighbourhood plan.

 

What's happened so far?

In August 2017 Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish Council submitted a proposed neighbourhood plan for formal consultation. After we consulted on the plan, we submitted it for independent external examination. After reviewing the examiner's report, we decided that the neighbourhood plan (with changes) should go to referendum. Over 90 per cent of those eligible to vote voted in favour of the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Neighbourhood Plan.

What's happening next?

Following the result of the referendum on 27 March 2018, we adopted ('made') the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Neighbourhood Plan (LCINDP). The plan is used alongside the Local Plan when determining planning applications in the designated neighbourhood area (Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish).

View the adopted Longwick-cum-Ilmer neighbourhood plan.

 

What's happened so far?

Daws Hill neighbourhood area designation

On 10 September 2012 our Cabinet agreed to designate a neighbourhood area in the Daws Hill area of High Wycombe. The decision notice, which can be downloaded below, identifies the area which now forms the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Area (the area bounded by the solid black line in figure 2 of the document). As this is a reduced area from the one applied for, the decision notice sets out the reasons for this decision, in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.

• Daws Hill neighbourhood area decision notice [PDF | 230KB] - this document formally designates the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Area and gives reasons for the decision

Draft Daws Hill neighbourhood plan

Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum produced a draft neighbourhood plan for its neighbourhood area. The plan would give the local community more control over development in its area. The neighbourhood forum consulted on the draft version of their plan between Monday 25 June and Sunday 5 August 2018 before they submitted their plan to us for formal consideration. 

• Consultation: draft Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan

Submission Daws Hill neighbourhood plan consultation

The Daws Hill neighbourhood forum submitted their neighbourhood plan to us for formal consultation in early 2019. We held a public consultation on the proposed submission neighbourhood plan between Wednesday 13 March and Friday 26 April 2019. 

• Consultation: Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan

Daws Hill neighbourhood plan examination

Mr John Slater MRTPI was appointed through NPIERS to examine the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan. We have now received the examiner's report on the Neighbourhood Plan, which recommends that the Neighbourhood Plan proceeds to referendum, subject to modifications being made. 

• Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan Examination Report [PDF | 289KB]

We have issued our Decision Statement in respect of the examiner's report, agreeing that the Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum.

• Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan decision statement - proceeding to referendum [PDF | 489KB]

Referendum

On 18 September 2019, following receipt of an independent examiner's report, we agreed that the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan should go to referendum.

The referendum was held on Thursday 14 November 2019.

• See Daws Hill neighbourhood plan referendum for more information on the referendum process.

If the majority of the votes submitted at the referendum are in favour of the neighbourhood plan, then it will be 'made'. A made neighbourhood plan becomes a part of the development plan and its policies are used to determine applications for development within the neighbourhood plan area (in this case, Daws Hill).

What's happening next?

Following the result of the referendum, we adopted ('made') the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Plan (DHNDP) on 12 December 2019. The plan forms part of the Wycombe development plan and should be used when determining planning applications in the designated area (the Daws Hill neighbourhood area).

View the adopted Daws Hill neighbourhood plan.

 

What's happened so far?

Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh neighbourhood area designation

On 13 November 2017, we designated a neighbourhood area in Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh parish. This area follows the parish boundaries, and is the same area as that applied for by Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Parish Council. 

A map of the neighbourhood area is set out below alongside a statement setting out a summary of the consultation on the proposed area and the reasons for the designation. 

• Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh neighbourhood area decision note [PDF | 7KB] - notice setting out our decision with regards to the Parish Council's request to be designated as a neighbourhood area, and our reasons for the decision.
• Great and Little Kimble neighbourhood area [PDF | 1.50MB] - map showing the area which has been designated as a neighbourhood area (the whole area of Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh parish)

Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh pre-submission plan consultation

Great & Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Parish Council co-ordinated a public consultation process on its Neighbourhood Plan proposals for the period 2013-2033 between May and June 2019. 

Submission of Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan

The GLKNP was submitted to the us for formal consultation in late 2019. We held a public consultation on the proposed submission neighbourhood plan between Wednesday 8 January and 18 February 2020.

You can view the submission draft below:

• Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh submission version [PDF | 797KB]

We received 44 responses to the consultation, you can view the responses online.

The plan was submitted to an independent examiner, alongside the plan’s supporting documents and the representations made at this stage.

Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan Examination

During the examination of the GLKNP we received questions from the Examiner. These may be viewed below:

• Great and Little Kimble Neighbourhood Plan Examiners Questions [PDF | 178KB]

The responses of the Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan Group can be viewed below:

• Responses to the Examiners Questions by Great and Little Kimble Parish Council [PDF | 384KB]

Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan Examination - Examiner's Report

Mr. David Hogger MRTPI was appointed through Intelligent Plans to examine the Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh (GLKNP) Neighbourhood Plan. We have now received the Examiner’s report on the Neighbourhood Plan, which recommends that the Neighbourhood Plan proceeds to referendum, subject to modifications being made.

Examination Report can be viewed below:

• Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan - Examiners Report [PDF | 409KB]

Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan Examination - Decision Statement

The Council has considered the Examiner’s report and come to the formal view that the GLKNP, with the modifications meets the basic conditions and is compatible with the Convention Rights. This is set out in the decision statement drawn up and formally signed off by the Council. You can view the decision statement below:

• Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan - Decision statement [PDF | 296KB]

What's happening next?

The Plan would normally proceed to referendum following the publication of the Decision Statement but as a result of Covid-19 the referendum will be delayed, in accordance with the Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections and Referendums)(England and Wales)Regulations 2020 (external website) until 6th May 2021. In the meantime, the Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan will have ‘significant weight’ in decision making.

More information on the plan can be found on the Great and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Plan website.

 

What's happened so far?

On 9 February 2015, we designated a neighbourhood area in Wooburn and Bourne End parish. This area follows the parish boundaries, and is the same area as that applied for by Wooburn and Bourne End Parish Council. The documents below set out a map of the neighbourhood area and a statement setting out a summary of the consultation on the proposed area and the reasons for the designation.

• Wooburn and Bourne End parish neighbourhood area decision notice [PDF | 8KB] - notice setting out our decision with regards to the Parish Council's request to be designated as a neighbourhood area, and our reasons for the decision.
• Wooburn and Bourne End parish neighbourhood area map [PDF | 731KB] - map showing the area which has been designated as a neighbourhood area (the whole area of Wooburn and Bourne End parish)

What's happening next?

Wooburn and Bourne End Parish Council are currently preparing a draft neighbourhood development plan for their parish area which they will submit to the Council in due course. More information on the plan progress can be found on the Wooburn and Bourne End Parish Council website.