Consultation Statement Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan - Submission Version (2021 – 2036)
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CONSULTATION STATEMENT LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN - SUBMISSION VERSION (2021 – 2036) May 2021 Longframlington Parish Council 1 CONSULTATION STATEMENT: LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (May 2021) Contents: 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................... 3 2.0 Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan – Background ..................... 4 3.0 Consultation and Engagement Timeline ......................................... 4 4.0 Pre-Submission (Regulation 14) Neighbourhood Plan consultation (1st March 2021 until 25th April 2021) .............................................. 6 5.0 Habitats Regulations Assessment ................................................... 7 6.0 Strategic Environmental Assessment.............................................. 7 7.0 Conclusions ...................................................................................... 8 APPENDICES: APPENDIX A: LIST OF STATUTORY BODIES CONSULTED AT REGULATION 14 STAGE APPENDIX B: COPY OF LETTER SENT OUT TO i) STATUTORY CONSULTEES, ii) RESIDENTS AND iii) COPY OF NOTICE POSTED APPENDIX C: COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE AND RESPONSES TO INITIAL VISION AND OBJECTIVES CONSULTATION QUESTIONNAIRE APPENDIX D: RESPONSES TO PRE-SUBMISSION CONSULTATION Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement May 2021 2 CONSULTATION STATEMENT: LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (May 2021) 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This Consultation Statement has been prepared to fulfill legal obligations set out in the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 and subsequent amendments. These Regulations require that when a qualifying body (in this case, Longframlington Parish Council) submit a neighbourhood development plan to the local planning authority, they must also provide a Consultation Statement. Regulation 15(2) describes what is required in a Consultation Statement. This states that a Consultation Statement must: • contain details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed neighbourhood development plan; • explain how they were consulted; • summarise the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; and • describe how those issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood development plan. 1.2 This Consultation Statement therefore sets out a brief background to the preparation of a neighbourhood development plan for Longframlington and sets out consultation events undertaken over the last two years. 1.3 The statement includes details of those consulted about the Plan at the various stages of plan preparation and the extent to which efforts were made to ensure the Plan was prepared with support and input from the local community. The Covid-19 pandemic reduced the ability of the Working Group to hold public meetings over the last year and the Regulation 14 consultation was undertaken without face to face meetings or open day due to the pandemic. 1.4 A number of responses were received during the time of that consultation, and the plan was amended accordingly. A description of the changes made to policies as the Plan emerged in response to the pre-submission consultation responses is contained in Appendix D. 1.5 Details of who were consulted, how, and when are also included. Appendix A contains a list of consultees; Appendix C contains a copy of the questionnaire sent to all residents during the vision and objective stage of consultation, and an analysis of the responses. 1.6 The methods used and outcomes achieved from engagement have resulted in the submission of a plan that, in the opinion of the Parish Council, best meet community expectations expressed during the various stages of plan preparation. Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement May 2021 3 CONSULTATION STATEMENT: LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (May 2021) 2.0 Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan – Background 2.1 The application by Longframlington Council to designate the civil parish of Longframlington as a 'neighbourhood area' was approved by Northumberland County Council on 11th March 2019. 2.2 Following the approval of the designated area, there followed two consultation events with the local community prior to the Regulation 14 consultation. Face to face consultation was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic; following this, consultation was done online as thoroughly as possible, and in accordance with the published Covid-19 guidelines set out in National Planning Practice Guidance (Paragraph 107 Reference ID: 41-107-20200925). 2.3 In order to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the whole consultation process, the Parish Council website has publicly accessible records of all documents which are summarised below: • Latest working draft of the Neighbourhood Plan; • Latest consultation letter and details of how to respond to the consultation; • All background evidence reports (Local Green Space Assessment, Settlement Boundary Methodology, Community Facilities and Recreation Areas assessment, Housing Paper) • Record of the consultation process throughout the development of the Plan 2.4 These documents are also available online at the address below: https://northumberlandparishes.uk/longframlington/documents/neighbourhood- plan 3.0 Consultation and Engagement Timeline 3.1 In general terms, local residents and businesses were kept informed about progress through the Neighbourhood Plan website hosted by Longframlington Parish Council, the village newsletter (Fram News) and public meetings and coffee mornings (prior to the pandemic) and a village Facebook page. 2018 3.2 Longframlington Parish Council organised a village meeting with a representative from Northumberland County Council giving a presentation to explain the neighbourhood planning process. Over 100 people attended the event. 3.3 Following this, a questionnaire was put in the Parish Newsletter (Fram News) asking people how they felt about the area, and in particular, how they felt the village should grow in terms of housing. A total of 50 questionnaire responses Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement May 2021 4 CONSULTATION STATEMENT: LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (May 2021) were received. Most people who responded were concerned that there was too much housebuilding in the village and that the village was ‘at capacity’. 3.4 A Steering Group was established by the Parish Council to oversee the development of a Neighbourhood Plan for Longframlington, and area designation was applied for. 2019 3.5 On 11th March 2019 Longframlington Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area. 3.6 In June 2019, a village presentation was held to further explain the Neighbourhood Plan process (see photo below). Approximately 80 people from the village attended. A survey was distributed at the event, and was also published in the parish newsletter, Fram News, which is delivered to every household in Longframlington Parish. The survey was also available to complete online, with the link shared on the village Facebook page. Figure 1: Village presentation evening 20th June 2019 3.7 In September a drop-in session was arranged in the village Community Room (at the church). A stall was held at the village show, and children were asked for their views, wish-lists and pictures (mainly related to the play parks in the village). Display boards were set up showing the Parish, and people were asked for feedback on their views about the area. Longframlington Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement May 2021 5 CONSULTATION STATEMENT: LONGFRAMLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (May 2021) 3.8 Just over 70 responses were received to the survey carried out over the summer. A spreadsheet of responses was compiled. Following on from these responses, the Parish Council produced a further consultation based on a draft vision and objectives which reflected the views of responses made in the September consultation. Vision and Objectives Consultation 3.9 A pamphlet setting out the vision and objectives was delivered to every house in the Parish, along with a questionnaire for feedback. This questionnaire was also available online and advertised on the village Facebook pages. To encourage more participation, a drop-in coffee morning was organised at St. Mary’s Church on 5th September 2019, with a further drop-in session organised for October 2019. 3.10 Responses to the vision and objectives consultation were encouraging; approximately 83 responses were received, with an overwhelming majority of responses supporting the vision and objectives. A full breakdown of responses and comments is contained in Appendix C. Following a review of detailed comments, some amendments were made to the vision and objectives, to better reflect the views of the majority of respondents. A set of community projects was also drawn up in tandem with these responses. 2020 3.11 Production of the Neighbourhood Plan was held up during 2020 due to the Covid- 19 pandemic. Most work on the plan stopped for a few months. Once things had settled down, the Parish Council began drafting the Plan based on the vision and objectives agreed and consulted the community with regard to the settlement boundary, with posters, Facebook page and information on the Parish Council website. Most residents were in agreement with regard to the settlement boundary and the Parish Council progressed the plan to the first statutory consultation stage. 2021 4.0 Pre-Submission (Regulation 14) Neighbourhood Plan consultation (1st March 2021 until 25th April 2021) 4.1 Following a delay