Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan 2013-2030
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Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan 2013 – 2030 May 2021 1 Contents Acknowledgements 3 Section 1: Introduction 4 Section 2: Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Now 10 Section 3: Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Future: a vision to 2030 14 Section 4: Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan Strategy 14 Section 5: Neighbourhood Plan Policies 17 Environment 17 Housing and Business 43 Leisure, Wellbeing and Infrastructure 55 Section 6: Monitoring and Review 63 Appendix 1 - Character Areas Assessments 64 Policy BAE NP1 - Design of New Development and Conservation 21 Policy BAE NP2 – Protection of Local Green Space 28 Policy BAE NP3 – Development in the Countryside 41 Policy BAE NP4 – Development beyond the built-up area of Boughton Lees village 42 Policy BAE NP5 - Eureka Park – Site Requirements 46 Policy BAE NP6 – Small scale residential development within the built-up confines of Boughton Lees 48 Policy BAE NP7 – Eureka Place Local Centre 53 Policy BAE NP8 - Public Houses 54 Policy BAE NP9 – Public Rights of Way 58 Policy BAE NP10 - Retention of Community Buildings 60 Policy BAE NP11 - Securing Infrastructure 62 2 Acknowledgements This document has been developed and produced by Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council in close cooperation with local community volunteers on behalf of the Parish community. The team would like to thank the following in preparation of the documents: • The community groups, local societies and school in the Parish for providing support and comment throughout the process; • The late Derek Anthony, former Parish Councillor and Chair of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council who initiated the Neighbourhood Plan project; • Alan Vaughan, Chair of the Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Residents’ Association and the BAERA Committee; • Borough Councillor Winston Michael; • Jason Matthews, former Chair of Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parish Council, and • Tony Fullwood of Tony Fullwood Associates - Chartered Town Planners, who was our professional planning consultant. The Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group would like to thank the whole community for participating in the process and for coming together and supporting the Neighbourhood Plan over its development. 3 Section 1: Introduction The Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan is a new type of planning document produced in the Parishes. It is part of the Government’s approach to planning which aims to give local people more say about what goes on in their area. This is set out in the Localism Act that came into force in April 2012. If passed at a local referendum, the Neighbourhood Plan will be adopted by Ashford Borough Council as the plan which must be used in law to determine planning applications in Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes. It will become part of the Development Plan alongside the Borough Council’s Local Plan. The Plan therefore provides the local community with a powerful tool to guide the long-term future of the Parishes for the period 2013 - 2030. The Plan contains a vision for the future of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes and sets out clear planning policies to realise this vision. In order to develop the Neighbourhood Plan, Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council set up a Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group which comprises 2 Parish Councillors supported by a number of local volunteers1. Some of the Neighbourhood Plan policies are general and apply throughout the Plan area, whilst others are site or area specific and apply only to the relevant areas illustrated on the associated Map. Nevertheless, in considering proposals for development, the Parish and Borough Council will apply all relevant policies of the Plan. It is therefore assumed that the Plan will be read as a whole and cross-referencing between Plan policies has been minimised. The Plan should also be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework, 2019 (NPPF), Ashford Borough Council’s Local Plan 2030 and the Neighbourhood Plan evidence documents. 1 Past and present members of the Neighbourhood Steering Group are listed here: • Carol Bunker • Ray Burrough • Bryan Hall • Jane Hall • Anna Kirke • Erica Lasparini OBE • Fiona Miller • Bob Morgan • Nigel Bunker • Spencer Phillips 4 Which Area Does the Neighbourhood Plan Cover? The Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan relates to the designated area covered by Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council. The neighbourhood plan designation was approved by Ashford Borough Council on 12 June 2014. The area to which the Plan applies is shown on the Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan Designation Map (Map 1). Map 1 - Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan Area 5 Involvement in the Neighbourhood Plan Process The Neighbourhood Plan team has followed the necessary legal steps to create the Plan. Importantly the team has ensured engagement with the people of both Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish and others with an interest in the area. Details of engagement and consultation are recorded in the Consultation Statement which is available to download from the Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council website. The process is set out in Figure 1 below with the opportunities for local involvement highlighted in dark green. The Plan incorporates those modifications required by the independent Examiner to allow the Plan to go to referendum. This gives the local electorate the power over whether they want their Plan to be used in local decisions. 6 Figure 1 – Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan Process April 2012 Neighbourhood Planning Regulations published 12 June 2014 Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan designation September 4 'discovery' events; household survey and 3 post survey 2015 - July 2016 events Data and evidence collection and interpretation 2014 - 2018 and drafting of Neighbourhood Plan Draft Neighbourhood Plan Pre-Submission consultation - Spring 2019 testing proposals for the future development of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Summer 2019 Review consultation; further evidence gathering, Plan onwards amendment and finalisation Autumn 2020 Submission consultation 6 weeks Winter 2020 Examination - An Independent Examiner will test the Plan Summer 2021 Referendum Adoption - Plan given full weight by ABC to determine Summer 2021 planning applications if approved at referendum 7 How the Neighbourhood Plan fits into the planning system Although the Government’s intention is for local people to decide what goes on in their area, all Neighbourhood Plans must be in line with higher level planning policy. That is, within the constraints imposed by national guidance and local policy, neighbourhoods should develop a shared vision for their area and develop plans that support the strategic development needs set out in Local Plans. Neighbourhood Plans should not promote less development than set out in the strategic policies for the area, or undermine those strategic policies. Neighbourhood Plans must comply with European Regulations on strategic environmental assessments and habitats, and with the NPPF, and they must generally conform with the strategic policies in the adopted Ashford Local Plan 2030. Nevertheless, if passed at a local referendum, the Neighbourhood Plan will be adopted by Ashford Borough Council as the plan which must be used in law to determine planning applications in Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes. What is in the Neighbourhood Plan? The Plan is for Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes as a whole and looks at a wide range of issues, including: • Protecting the distinctive character of the built-up area; recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the surrounding countryside; conserving and enhancing the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and achieving high quality development which fits well with the location; • Retaining the Local Green Spaces important to local heritage, amenity, recreation and/or wildlife; • Protecting important public views; • Carefully assimilating high quality housing and business development at the strategic Eureka site in a parkland setting; • Enabling local people to stay in or return to the Parishes by ensuring a supply of affordable housing; and • Protecting and enhancing Eureka Place Local Centre; community buildings; recreation open space and the network of local footpaths. What period does the Neighbourhood Plan cover? The Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan covers the Plan period from 2013 – 2030 to coincide with the period for the Ashford Local Plan 2030. Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitat Regulations Assessment A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is required under European legislation for all plans which may have a significant effect on the environment. To determine whether the Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parishes Neighbourhood Plan requires a SEA it is necessary to screen the proposals in the plan to determine whether it is likely to result in significant environmental effects. 8 Ashford Borough Council is legally required to determine whether a neighbourhood plan will require SEA. As part of this screening process it is necessary to consult the SEA consultation bodies (Historic England, Natural England and the Environment Agency) to get their opinion on whether or not the plan is likely to result in significant environmental effects and therefore whether a SEA is required. The Screening Report for the Neighbourhood Plan finds no