ANGHA NEIGHBOURHOO AN CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2 (i) Legislation 3 (ii) Langham Neighbourhood Plan 4 (iii) Langham Past and Present 7 2. COMMUNITY VISIONS & OBJECTIVES 11 HR Housing and Renewal 12 PSS Public Safety and Services 12 CH Cultural Heritage 13 NE Natural Environment 13 ED Education and Development 13 CE Community and Economy 13 3. KEY ISSUES 14 4. HOUSING & RENEWAL 16 HR1 Demographics and Housing 17 HR2 Important Green Spaces 18 HR3 Land Allocation 21 HR4 Housing Design and Layout 25 HR5 Developer/Community Collaboration 28 5. PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVICES 30 PSS1 Public Safety - Traffic A606 31 PSS2 Public Safety - Traffic Within the Village 31 PSS3 Public Services - Public Transport 34 PSS4 Public Services - Communication Technology 35 PSS5 Public Services – Essential Utility Provision 35 6. CULTURAL HERITAGE 36 CH1 Village Conservation Status 37 CH2 Sites of Historical Importance 37 CH3 Ancient Parish Boundary 38 7. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 39 NE1 Rights of Way 40 NE2 Flooding 42 NE3 Green Spaces 43 NE4 Biodiversity 45 NE5 Renewable Energy 46 8. EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT 48 ED1 Primary and Pre-school Provision 49 ED2 Secondary, Post 16 Education 51 ED3 Activities & Sport 52 9. COMMUNITY & ECONOMY 54 CE1 Community Needs – Shop & Post Office 55 CE2 Leisure and Culture 56 CE3 Economy 58 CE4 Health and Wellbeing 58 CE5 Crime and Security 59 CE6 Communication 59 Final Submission 10. DESIGN 61 D1 Character of Landscape 62 D2 Settlement Pattern & Character 64 D3 Parish Architecture 65 D4 Highways & Traffic 72 D5 Footpaths 73 11. Summary of Policies 75 12. Monitoring, Evaluation & Review 80 13. Basic Conditions Statement 82 Appendices 84 A Glossary 85 B Literature & Sources of Reference 86 C Associated RCC Policies 87 D References 88 This document has been prepared under the authority of Langham Parish Council and with the guidance of an evolving Steering Group comprising: Pat Lee-Ovington Caroline Webb Richard Dilworth Tim Maskell Jennifer Maskell Brenda Palmer Gail Palmer Penny Viner Alex Marshall Ivan Burger Emily Murison Marcus Cole Kate Hiseman Brian Arnold Janet Higgins Our thanks go to all those who gave time, money and expertise to the development of this Plan, and to the entire community for their support and involvement. Final Submission Figure 1.1: Map of Langham, Key Boundaries, Sites, Buildings, Spaces and Frontages 1 Final Submission LNP 2016-2036 1. INTRODUCTION 2 Final Submission 1. Introduction Sustainability and relevance to existing policies 1(i) Legislation 7. Any Neighbourhood Plan must be broadly aligned to two key documents: Localism Act the government’s National Planning 1. In November 2011 the Localism Act was Policy Framework; and introduced, with the aim of devolving more the local council’s main planning decision-making powers from central document – in Rutland’s case, government and providing: Rutland County Council’s Local new freedoms and flexibilities for Development Framework (as local government; described in its Core Strategy new rights and powers for Development Plan Document of July communities and individuals; 2011). reform to make the planning system more democratic and more effective; 8. According to the Localism Act from March and 2013 the Policies in a Local Plan will be reform to ensure that decisions about weighted according to how they reflect the housing and infrastructure are taken Policies of the NPPF. locally. 9. It is also recognized that the policies in a 2. Through the development of a neighbourhood plan do not have to duplicate Neighbourhood Plan (NP), a community will or be congruent with the local council’s plan now be able to propose the direction and but must not contradict its policies and must degree of its own future development. align with its strategic vision. (Data from Localism Act) 3. Once a Neighbourhood Plan has been accepted, it becomes a legal document that, 10. The Plan must also be a growth plan – one along with others, informs all future planning that recognizes that change is inevitable and decisions that the local county council will defines in what direction, and to what make about that particular community. degree, that change should take place. What is a Neighbourhood Plan? 11. Finally, the Plan must be sustainable – which means it must meet the needs of the 4. The Plan describes the vision that a present without compromising the ability of community has for its future. It comprises a future generations to meet their own needs. number of propositions that the community believes will enable that vision to be achieved. These propositions cover what needs to be developed, how much and in what way, as well as what needs to be protected, to what degree and why. 5. The Neighbourhood Plan is sponsored by the local parish council, pertains to a designated area, and is developed by the whole of the community. It is researched and written by those who live, work or do business in the designated area and is published only after the local county council accepts it as robust enough. The local Figure 1.2: Key national (left) and local policy community then votes to accept it via documents (right) majority vote at referendum. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nation al-planning-policy-framework--2 6. After this, the Neighbourhood Plan becomes www.rutland.gov.uk/local_plan/core_strategy_dpd.a a legal planning document. spx 3 Final Submission 1(ii) Langham Neighbourhood Plan 4. Throughout the project – which began in May 2013 and was completed by in 2016 – a number of professional bodies were Background consulted and/or informed, including the Parish Council, Rutland County Council and 1. The Langham Neighbourhood Plan (LNP) the neighbouring parishes (through their has been developed to establish a vision for Parish Councils). the careful evolution and long-term sustainability of Langham Parish from 2016 5. This Neighbourhood Plan sets out to: to 2036 and beyond. The community and Identify the main characteristics of, key stakeholders were extensively and community issues for, Langham consulted on a wide range of issues that will Parish. influence the well-being, sustainability and Make proposals for the use and long-term preservation of their rural development of land. community. Hence this Plan represents the Provide the community’s objectives views of the majority of Langham Parish and policies for the management of residents. future development. 2. This project was led by a Steering Group Address any issues that are seen to comprising volunteers from the community prevent sustainability of the present working under the auspices of the Parish situation. Council. The views of the community were Provide an Action Plan listing the gained through public events, desired projects arising from the questionnaires, personal discussions and residents’ vision for sustainable written comments. (See SD2) growth in the parish. 3. The area to be covered by the LNP was 6. Whilst all references in the Plan are officially approved by Rutland County accurate at the time of publication, it is Council (RCC) in December 2013. That recognized that these reference documents area is the whole of Langham Parish as may be amended and/or re-issued during defined by the official parish boundaries. the period of the Plan. Ongoing review of the Plan will be addressed as described in Figure 1.3 (below): Map of Langham Section 12, ‘Monitoring, Evaluation and Parish and neighbouring parishes Review’. 4 Final Submission Key stages of Langham Neighbourhood Plan (LNP) project 1. As the qualifying body under 5. Whilst this Plan primarily deals with the Neighbourhood Plan legislation, Langham planning of new housing and the careful use Parish Council (LPC) was legally of land (whilst protecting the environment responsible for producing the Plan. Subject and the cultural heritage of the parish), it to approval by an Independent Examiner also looks at public safety, services, the Plan will be subject to a referendum community and education issues. administered by Rutland County Council. 6. This Plan is sustainable because it 2. Prior to the referendum the Plan was addresses both what will support future subject to approval by Langham Parish growth, and what could prevent it. Council and Rutland County Council as well as an independent examiner. The Plan was also subject to numerous statutory public Key Stages Outline (Full details in SD2) consultations and amended in the light of community responses and opinions. Steering group formed and (See SD2a-c) Neighbourhood Plan area defined late 2013 3. The cost of preparing the Plan has been subsidised by a government grant of £5k, Community consultations held to and the generous contributions of the Parish collect community ideas and Council and members of the community. priorities Work on the LNP was carried out by local volunteers. Detailed survey, October 2014, via questionnaires sent to every adult The Langham Neighbourhood Plan (LNP) and child in the parish The Plan comprises a number of documents Six key themes identified and six (See Figure 1.4): Working Groups set up 1. The Main LNP (The Plan) which describes, Regular public communication via top level, what Langham is trying to achieve LanghaminRutland website and and what policies are important. Langham News 2. A number of Support Documents (SD) Regular updates to Langham which expand on some of the sections in the Parish Council (LPC) at bi-monthly Plan. meetings 3. A number of Supplementary Pages (SP) Call for Sites and Land Appraisal which underpin the Support Documents resulted in a list of possible sites (and so the Plan itself) with additional for housing and business evidence and data. development 4. The surveys, consultations and research Draft Plan prepared and presented undertaken whilst preparing the LNP to LPC identified a range of initiatives which, if implemented, would improve the quality of First draft published in September life for the community, but fall outside the 2015 remit of planning policy.