St Eval Neighbourhood Development Plan – Consultation Statement 1 - Introduction This Consultation Statement has been prepared to fulfil the legal obligations of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (set out in Section 3) relating to the St Eval Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). Extensive community engagement and consultation work has been undertaken and this is summarised in Section 4. 2 - Background The rural, coastal Parish of St Eval is situated in North Cornwall, adjacent to Mawgan in Pydar, St Ervan and St Merryn in the Community Network Area of Wadebridge and Padstow. The Parish has a population of 804 1. The largest settlement in the Parish is Trevisker St Eval, located between the larger settlements of Newquay and Padstow. Padstow is approximately 4 miles northeast of the site and Newquay approximately 8 miles to the south west. The original motivation for a Neighbourhood Plan came about because of the MoD’s intention to sell some of their land at Trevisker St Eval. The Parish Council and St Eval Area Community Action Forum (SEACAF CIC) saw this as an opportunity to be proactive in shaping future development, as well as a way to help safeguard and enhance the area. With the relocation of the post office/shop and community centre on to the area being marketed for sale, the parish were keen to ensure that these facilities were protected for existing and future residents of the parish. With the MoD Development Brief defining a potential for development of up to 100 houses, the need for facilities was seen as ever more key to the future of the parish. Initially, the parish considered undertaking a Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) to influence the development on the MoD site but, following consultation with the community in December 2012, decided to widen this out to an NDP in order to set policies across the whole of the parish and encourage all parish residents to have an active say in the future. The Parish Boundary/Neighbourhood Plan Area is shown in Figure 1. 1 Cornwall Council Parish Population 2010 figures: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=28029 1 Figure 1 - St Eval Parish Boundary and Neighbourhood Plan Area (Source: Cornwall Council, 2013) 2 The NDP has not only been driven by the need to protect and enhance parish facilities. The withdrawal of the majority of MoD personnel from the area has changed the make-up of the parish and there is an awareness that the area would benefit from some growth and a range of residents, which will aid the sustainability of the parish and in fact, bring positive change. It is intended, through the NDP, to shape development through the policies themselves and by engaging with potential developers to look at how the area can be developed to the mutual benefit of the developer and the community. Good quality development that works positively with the environment and conditions, and adds social value will make St Eval a better and more sustainable place to live and should be embraced. 3 – Consultation on the proposed St Eval Neighbourhood Development Plan - Legislative Requirements Section 15(2) of Part 5 of the 2012 Neighbourhood Planning Regulations sets out what a consultation statement should contain: (a) contains details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed neighbourhood development plan; (b) explains how they were consulted; (c) summarises the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; and (d) describes how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood development plan. Consultation and community engagement has been fundamental to the development of the Neighbourhood Plan and has gone far beyond the requirements of the regulations. The work that has been carried out over 4 years is outlined below. The requirements of the regulations are covered in Section 4.12. 4 - The Development of the St Eval Neighbourhood Development Plan – Community Consultation 4.1 - The consultation process Figure 2 shows the evolving process of developing a plan for St Eval over 4 years, including extensive community engagement and consultation at every step along the way. A summary of the issues that were identified throughout the community engagement and consultation is included in Section 4.2. More detail on each stage of consultation is included in Sections 4.3 – 4.12. 3 Figure 2 –Chart s howing key milestones in the process undertaken in St. Eval 4 4.2 - Summary of Consultation Results by Theme Below is a summary of the key issues that were identified throughout the various stages of consultation and engagement, which formed the basis for the policies in the St Eval NDP. Housing • Support for a maximum of 100 houses • Support for affordable housing for local people • Development mainly accepted as being on the area shown in the original NDO as per Development Brief (although the exact location and grouping of houses may be negotiable) • Some interest in small scattered housing developments in the parish • Support for environmentally sustainable build • Some interest in self build • Support for use of local materials and design that is sympathetic to needs whilst factoring in well-being of community: tenure, type, appropriate spacing, garden and parking facilities Environment and Open Spaces • Protection and enhancement of natural environment • Protection and increase of trees (as natural wind-break and to enjoy for aesthetic and environmental reasons) • Pathways and cycle trails to link up facilities and to provide walks/leisure routes – ensuring that the natural environment is accessible for local use, and potentially link into a tourism initiative. • Protection of playing field • Outdoor leisure space - linked to sports US Navy/American Buildings • Of significant importance to residents as part of their heritage • Should, where possible, be made practical use of • Community usages highlighted for various buildings e.g. sports hall could once again be used as a sports gym, sports facility; church could provide a media/cultural venue etc • Also support for buildings to be considered for employment space use Energy • Support for renewable energy initiatives (such as solar PV) subject to defining appropriate options and having this endorsed by the community • Energy efficiency to be considered in relation to any housing development 5 Employment/Business • Local employment likely to become more important with future growth of population • Support for small tourism initiatives • Support for small-scale employment space and business development • Business growth supported but sympathetic to the area i.e. no large scale development. Primarily local shops, small workshops, non- industrial businesses and office space supported Infrastructure • Mobile phone reception and broadband services need to improve in order to enable business and economic growth • Ensure that transport and road network (inc. traffic safety) considered as part of the wider housing and business development. • More facilities or improved facilities (shopping, health, leisure and social) to be considered as part of the sustainability of the parish. 4.3 - Initial Development Brief Consultation – March 2010 In March 2010, having been made aware of the fact that the MoD intended to close the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institute) building, which was the only community use building for Trevisker St Eval, a survey was conducted to discover whether the residents and other local people felt that it was necessary to maintain certain community activities and services. Approximately 120 surveys were distributed throughout Trevisker St Eval and the Parish; 72 were returned (60%). 4.4 – Further Development Brief Consultation – August 2011 SEACAF CIC was formed from an existing community group in order to provide an appropriate structure to produce a business plan and to acquire a new community building, due to the closure of the NAAFI building. “The objects of the Company are to carry on activities which benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) to provide community facilities and activities for the residents of Trevisker St Eval and the surrounding area” In order to acquire a replacement building, the MoD required SEACAF CIC to produce evidence for a Development Brief. A further, more wide-spread survey was undertaken. 6 Consultation took place in St Eval on the 13 th August 2011 at the local village fete in order to better understand the type, scale and position of development that people living within the area would like to see happen. Additionally, approximately 120 surveys were distributed and 82 were returned (68%). This survey concentrated on development, community facilities and infrastructure brief. This informed the production of the Development Brief for the former MoD land, which was then adopted by Cornwall Council in December 2011. Following this work, SEACAF CIC, supported by Cornwall Council’s Localism Team, successfully negotiated a 5 year lease on one of the American Buildings, with a peppercorn rent. The Trevisker Community Centre opened in January 2012 and includes meeting rooms, hairdressers, social club, Post Office and shop. 4.5 –Formation of the Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group – March/April 2012 Initially it was felt an NDO was the most appropriate plan to take forward, to influence the development on the MoD site. In March 2012, a public meeting was held at Trevisker School to discuss following up the Development Brief by embarking on an NDO. The purpose of the meeting was to: • Raise awareness of the process, what this would entail and what it could achieve; • Explain what impact this might have; and • Attract volunteers and interest. The first official meeting of the Steering Group was held in April 2012. At this meeting the group discussed how they would function i.e. their terms of reference; engagement strategy; and the types of themes that might need to be covered. The Steering Group has continued to meet regularly (with minutes taken) throughout the process.