Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 Contents Preface 3 Introduction 4 Whatfield 8 National and Local Policy Context 18 How the Plan was prepared 20 Our Vision and Objectives 24 Neighbourhood Plan Policies Community and Amenity 28 WHAT1 Landscape Setting & Natural Features 32 WHAT2 Protection of Existing Community Facilities & Amenities 39 WHAT3 Local Green Spaces 42 Housing and the Built Environment 43 WHAT4 New Housing 49 WHAT5 Housing Mix 54 WHAT6 Whatfield Design Guide 66 Implementation and Monitoring 68 Appendices 70 A Working Group Members 71 B Local Green Spaces 72 C Photographic Survey 73 D Word Cloud 86 E Definitions and Glossary 87 F Policies Map Inner 90 G Policies Map Outer 91 2 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 Preface This Submission Version of the draft Whatfield Neighbourhood Development Plan has been prepared by the Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Working Group 1. The Whatfield Neighbourhood Development Plan (WNDP) is a community-led document and its purpose is to provide policies to help guide development in the Parish from 2018 up to 2037. In order to create a Plan that represents the needs and aspirations of residents, the Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Working Group (WNPWG) has drawn upon several sources, including evidence gathered through the Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire launched in June 2019, the accompanying photographic survey, informal consultation with local residents in May 2020 and the formal REG14 Pre Submission Consultation in August to October 2020. Other research such as census data, housing and employment statistics and analysis from a wide range of national and local sources has also been examined. The following stages have currently been completed: • Initial Background and Research 2018-19 • Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire June 2019 • Consultation with local groups and organisations Summer 2019 • Informal Consultation with local residents May 2020. • REG14 Pre-Submission Consultation August to October 2020 This is the REG 16 Submission Consultation Version of the Neighbourhood Plan and it will be the subject of further public consultation. The consultation will be administered by Babergh District Council and details will be posted on their website: https://www.babergh.gov.uk/planning/neighbourhood-planning/neighbourhood- planning-in-babergh/whatfield-neighbourhood-plan/. 1 Steering Group has been commissioned by the Parish Council. See Appendix A for Steering Group Membership 3 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 The last Whatfield ‘Village Plan’ was published in 2007 and has influenced planning matters over the intervening period. Numerous “Actions” were identified which have led to some notable and laudable improvements to our environment. For this we are enormously grateful. However, the combination of time passing, the fact that the ‘Village Plan’ was not a statutory document and new government legislation has resulted in the need to re-address village ambitions and the preparation of a “Neighbourhood Plan”. 1.2 The Whatfield Neighbourhood Development Plan (WNDP) will provide the first ever statutory planning policy document specifically for the Parish of Whatfield. Neighbourhood Plans such as this were made possible by powers contained within the 2011 Localism Act which sought to decentralise policy making to the local level and give more powers to communities and the right to shape future development where they live. It complements existing national and local planning policy by providing a specifically local level of detail attained through consultation with the local community and further research. 1.3 The Neighbourhood Plan relates to planning matters (the use and development of land) and has been prepared in accordance with the statutory requirements and processes set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) and the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (as amended). The Neighbourhood Plan Period runs from 2018 to 2037. Once the Plan is “made” (adopted), it will be used by Babergh District Council to help determine planning applications and will form part of the statutory planning framework for the area. 1.4 The WNDP is not a mechanism for stopping development - it is there to ensure that development takes place in an appropriate way for the parish. In practice, higher level planning documents such as the emerging Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan cannot feasibly deal with all of the issues particular to every town and village across the two districts, whereas Neighbourhood Plans can by providing additional details which reflect specific local circumstances and conditions. 1.5 The WNDP covers the entire parish and the Neighbourhood Plan area was formally designated by Babergh District Council on 18th July 2018. 4 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 Fig 1 - Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Area Designation Map 5 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 1.6 This is the Submission draft of the WNDP and the process followed to prepare it, is shown in the diagram below. (Fig 2) - Neighbourhood Plan Process Identify Objectives Develop a draft plan Develop Draft Test draft policies and Issues; Initial Policies with the community (Pre-Submission Evidence Gathering REG14 Version) Public consultation Submit revised plan Public Consultation Review consultation on draft plan (REG16 Submission on revised plan results and amend (minimum of 6 Version) to District (minimum of 6 plan weeks) Council weeks) Examination Referendum Completed Stage Current Stage Future Stage 1.7 This version of the Neighbourhood Plan will be submitted to Babergh District Council in December 2020. The District Council will then check the Neighbourhood Plan for conformity with existing national and local planning policies and then undertake further consultation for a minimum of 6 weeks. The Plan will then be sent to an Independent Examiner appointed by the District Council to undertake an examination of the plan. Subject to the Examiner’s report the Plan should then proceed to referendum. At the referendum every resident of Whatfield who is entitled to vote in elections, will have the opportunity to vote on the following question: “Do you want Babergh District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Whatfield parish to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?" If the NDP receives over 50% support from those that vote in the Referendum, then Babergh District Council will “make” the Neighbourhood Plan. 6 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 1.8 The idea of producing a Neighbourhood Plan for Whatfield came about in 2018. Accordingly, the Parish Council established a Neighbourhood Plan Working Group (NPWG) in mid-2018 to prepare and execute a strategy to define, understand and communicate Parish aspirations for the Parish over the Plan Period (up to 2037). This will conclude in “The Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan”. 1.9 During 2018, two separate landowners approached the Parish Council advising of the intention to pursue the re-development of 2 agricultural fields at either end of the village into residential developments (one opposite Wheatfields and the other opposite the row at Naughton Road). The illustrative scheme proposals detailed 25 and 15 houses, respectively. 1.10 The Parish noted the broad negative response to these outline proposals, primarily driven by the concern that substantial and inappropriate development was being imposed on the Village prematurely (and without due consideration) as a consequence of a perceived weakness in planning legislation and the opportunity for landowners to exploit this. 1.11 The perceived “ad hoc” nature of these approaches has resolved the Parish to take positive action and ensure its voice is heard during the planning process. A Neighbourhood Plan is the best way to achieve this and it will form a material consideration in Babergh’s assessment of any future planning applications. If we had a Neighbourhood Plan now, we would not be exposed to the stresses of opportunistic planning applications. The views and opinions of the Parish would be evident and duly considered as part of the planning process. It is important to note that the process is not “anti-development”. The process is democratic enabling all to make their views clear. The final Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan will condense Parish sentiment into “Policies” which will be designed to ensure the Parish has a voice of influence and is not just a passive bystander. 1.12 We believe engaging with and informing the development process will deliver an “enduring environmental, affordable and high quality built legacy for our future generations”. 1.13 This was our original motivation statement and following broader feedback from the Village, we have refined and developed our “Vision Statement” which will introduce our Draft Plan. 7 Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan – REG16 Submission Version – December 2020 Chapter 2: Whatfield From the Past to Present The Early History 2.1 Whatfield Parish is a parish located in Babergh, Suffolk approximately three miles north of the market town of Hadleigh, situated on high ground surrounded entirely by agricultural land which has been farmed for many centuries. 2.2 Historians are clear that Iron Age settlers were farming this area many generations before the Romans arrived in 43AD. This has been supported by six archaeological digs. These local peoples would have lived under the Trinovantes and the Iceni tribe to the North. There is evidence that there was a Roman farm settlement and possibly a small villa as there have been two sites identified in Whatfield (one at Whatfield Hall and another near Hill Farm). The Romans developed a network of roads which allowed trade to flow to the growing towns such as Long Melford, Coddenham and of course Colchester. 2.3 When the Roman legions finally left Britain in the early part of the 5th century a further migration of peoples from Europe began. These were the Saxons, Anglians and Frisians who would later emerge as the Anglo Saxons.