The Parish Council are committed to the Neighbourhood Plan and the steering group is working towards agreeing the policies and moving towards the draft plan submitted to the Council by the end of August or consultation. We then have to have an independent examination by an examiner appointed by the SSDC and modifications to the plan as necessary. A referendum is then carried out by the SSDC and the Parish will have the opportunity to comment on the decisions.
[wpfilebase tag=file path=’Notification Letter of Designation September.pdf’ /]
[wpfilebase tag=file path=’Designated EACO NA Sept 2013.pdf’ /]
Originally Published 13 April 2011
Communities are getting a supportive boost to help make their neighbourhood vision a reality through a new scheme offering free access to expert advice and guidance, Planning Minister Greg Clark announced today.
New powers being introduced in the Localism Bill will give local people a real voice to shape development in their area through a neighbourhood plan, from determining the locations of shops, offices and schools to setting the standards of design for new housing.
To ensure communities have the right support and advice to meet their own aspirations, Mr Clark has today announced four organisations with renowned expertise in planning who will share a £3.2m fund to provide assistance to local groups developing neighbourhood plans.
Communities can choose to take up free advice and guidance depending on their needs through The Prince’s Foundation, Locality, The Royal Town Planning Institute, and the National Association of Local Councils in partnership with the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
Each organisation will use its expertise, skills and track record advising on development to empower communities to reach the full potential of their neighbourhood plan from start to finish, from understanding the planning process and finding local solutions through to developing clear documents and building community support. This will include free impartial advice, practical workshops with local authorities and community groups, tailored on-line resources, networking tools and telephone advice lines.
Greg Clark said:
“It is vital that grass root community groups are able to access specialist support and advice if their vision for their neighbourhood is to be truly realised. Making sure community groups have free access to a number of organisations means they can choose the experts that best suit their needs. All four organisations are specialists in their field and will provide an invaluable service to groups around the country, helping them to drive development and growth around their aspirations.”
Examples of work to support communities through the planning process include:
The Granville New Homes Resident Steering Group received training and support from the Building Community Consortium, which is led by Locality, during a £1bn regeneration project in South Kilburn, London. The award winning development delivered 130 new homes, a small park and a purpose built youth centre for the community.
The Prince’s Foundation helped the community at Camp Hill, a former mining community in North Warwickshire, bring together the local council, developers and partners to develop a master plan which delivered a number of physical and social improvements for the town.
Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive of The Prince’s Foundation, said:
“The Prince’s Foundation has long been an advocate of the importance of community engagement and we are delighted to have been awarded such a significant proportion of the Communities and Neighbourhood Planning Grant.
“Empowering local communities is now a welcome part of the planning process, and this grant will enable The Prince’s Foundation to use its extensive track record to help people plan in a positive way for growth and better neighbourhoods.”
Steve Wyler, Chief Executive of Locality, said:
“We’re delighted to be selected as one of only four partners to deliver the Government’s Communities and Neighbourhoods in Planning Scheme. Our approach will enable communities to access highly specialised, independent advice and support from a nationwide pool of experts, helping them to find local solutions to local needs and change the built environment around them for good.”
Richard Summers, President of The Royal Town Planning Institute, added:
“We welcome the announcement made today. This funding will allow the RTPI’s Planning Aid England service, in conjunction with Planning Aid for London, to provide information, advice and support to disadvantaged individuals and communities in shaping their neighbourhoods over the next twelve months.”
Cllr Michael Chater, Chairman of the National Association of Local Councils, said:
“The National Association of Local Councils wants local people to be able to shape the places they live in. We are therefore delighted to be part of this scheme. Our work over the coming year, with the lead partner, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, will help people understand the positive role that local and neighbourhood planning can play in bringing about appropriate development, while also protecting our environment. The message is: get involved in planning how our towns and villages will look in the future!”
The Prince’s Foundation
The Foundation has a long history of successful projects based on the principles of community engagement. It believes that development can be both positive and enjoy popular support if it is the result of an engaging discussion with the local community and based around the local identity.
The services offered by Prince’s Foundation through the grant will ensure they offer case specific solutions to communities based on live workshops with community groups and local authorities.
Locality
The Building Community Consortium will be led by Locality in partnership with Glass House Community Led Design, the Eden Project and communityplanning.net. The consortium will provide unparalleled knowledge, reach, skills and expertise in supporting disadvantaged and marginalised communities to engage with the built environment and the planning systems. It will provide support and networking to community groups through online resources and other networking tools, practical workshops and seminars, and tailored advice via a telephone advice line and other packages of support. The consortiums knowledge, skills and expertise can be found across a network of more than 1000 community-based organisations.
The Royal Town Planning Institute
The Royal Town Planning Institute will make the planning process more accessible and empower individuals, neighbourhoods and communities, especially those who are economically and socially disadvantaged, to become involved in shaping where they work, live and play.
It will provide free, independent, impartial, professional planning advice to people who do not have the means to pay professional fees. It will also provide support and training to local communities to influence and contribute to planning strategy, policy, and decision making at all levels, helping them to bring forward community planning initiatives. The service will promote and deliver good practice in community engagement be delivered through an extensive network of Planning Aid England and Planning Aid for London volunteers.
National Association of Local Councils in partnership with the Campaign to Protect Rural England
The advice and assistance offered by the NALC/CPRE partnership will draw on the strength and experience of its network of county branches and parish councils to enable local communities to better understand the planning system and share best practice.
As well as providing basic information about the planning system via a national website, a phone line and targeted publications, the grant will fund a programme of local events which will help inform local communities and parish councillors about how to influence local plans. The aim will empower local people and encouraging communities to take a more active and influential role in making plans for their areas.
The grants being made under the Supporting Communities and Neighbourhoods in Planning project are:
The Parish Council has successfully secured government funding for support from ‘Locality’ consultants to advise on the process and detail of Neighbourhood Planning. Representatives of the Parish Council met with Andy Foyne and Dave Norris of SSDC and decisions will be taken concerning consultation with parishioners and how best to proceed. We are looking at options to make an application to initiate the process of writing this community-led plan. To learn more, please contact the Parish Clerk clerk@eastcokerpc1.wanadoo.co.uk or 862062. We will be writing to all parishioners in the New Year with more details.
District Councillor Peter Seib attended the September Parish Council meeting to explain the process of Neighbourhood Planning (brought about by government’s recent Localism Act) and the integral role of SSDC. SSDC have to agree the area which would be covered by the production of a Neighbourhood Plan and Councillor Seib was suggesting that we would probably need to include neighbouring parishes and areas within our plan. ECPC have already sought permission from SSDC to produce a plan for the area covered by the parish boundary and would not favour an increased area. We will continue to investigate the implications of Neighbourhood Planning and take the necessary action.
In January, several members of the public attended the meeting and supported the idea of producing a Neighbourhood Plan (NP). This is part of the government’s Localism Act encouraging the ‘Big Society’ notion of local people being involved in planning the future of their local areas. Members of the Parish Council have attended training on the production of the NP and as a result of advice given, the Parish Precept will include funding to support this activity. The writing of the NP will be facilitated by the Parish Council, but will need to involve the participation of as many community members as possible. As our plans proceed, we will make contact with you, but if you would like to register an interest in being involved, please contact Pauline Gubbins, Parish Clerk (clerk@eastcokerpc1.wanadoo.co.uk; 862062).
The Parish Council have recently heard that we have successfully bid for support for the writing of a Neighbourhood Plan. This is a national funding stream and we will receive professional support from Locality.
Further updates will be posted when we know more.
