South East Neighbourhood Planning Roadshow Nuthurst Parish Case

South East Neighbourhood Planning Roadshow Nuthurst Parish Case Study Owen Hydes OBE Nuthurst Parish Councillor Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Val Court, Chair, Nuthurst Parish Council • Richard Webber, Secretary, Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group • Faustina Bayo and team at Action in rural Sussex • Neil Homer and team at rCOH • Barbara Childs and team at Horsham District Council • Nuthurst Parish Residents THANK YOU Presentation • About Nuthurst Parish • Our Neighbourhood Plan • Why do a Neighbourhood Plan? • Who was involved in the Plan? • What issues/needs did it identify? • How easy to produce – what barriers faced? • What benefits has the community accrued (socially economically and environmentally)? • Subsequent challenges Map of Nuthurst Parish Mannings Heath Sedgwick Monks Gate Nuthurst Copsale Maplehurst Key Statistics • Population 1,777, Mannings Heath about 1,100 • 778 Dwellings, mainly detached • Rural character – 13 active farms • Services include: primary school, three pubs, two churches, two village halls, one village shop, one garage/shop and a golf complex • But no doctor’s surgery, no dentist’s surgery, no secondary school, no post office, no main drainage in 4 settlements, no mains gas, frequent electricity power cuts • Limited bus services – no bus service in some settlements and infrequent elsewhere Our Neighbourhood Plan Timetable • May 2013 – Parish Council starts to consider a Neighbourhood Plan • August 2013 – set up Steering Group • April 2014 – published State of Parish Report • November 2014 – Parish consulted on Pre-submission Plan • February 2015 – Horsham DC consulted on Submission Plan • June 2015 – Independent Examiner’s Report • September 2015 – Referendum – 86.6% “Yes Vote” – turnout 50% • October 2015 – HDC “made” the Plan Our Neighbourhood Plan Key provisions • Provides for about 50 houses • Eight small developments spread across the Parish – three in Mannings Heath, two in Monks gate, two in Maplehurst and one in Nuthurst • Provides for some smaller houses for younger people and for older people to downsize • Allows for some “affordable” houses • Provides protection from development for 8 local green spaces Why do a Neighbourhood Plan? • Threat of major development • Control were development takes place • Protect our rural Parish Who was involved in the Plan? • Nuthurst Parish Council • The community • Steering Group – 3 Councillors and 9 residents • 4 Focus Groups – mainly residents • Action in rural Sussex and planning consultants, rCOH • Horsham District Council What issues/needs were identified? • No housing target set by Horsham District Council • No large developments wanted • Small developments spread across the Parish • Maintain rural nature and protect the rural environment • Managing increased traffic on rural roads • Avoiding localised flooding How easy to produce? What barriers faced? • Commitment to hard work over 2+ years • Securing Community involvement and approval – CONSULTATION • Deciding how many houses and where – CONSULTATION/SITE ASSESSMENT • Dealing with individuals challenging the process • From disgruntled landowners – STAY STRONG AND COMMITTED • Pressure • Threats of legal action • Corruption of Parish Council’s Regulation 14 Consultation What benefits to the Community? • Socially oBrought community together and engendered community spirit oCommunity able to take forward projects identified during Plan • Economically oRejuvenate the settlements oMaintain and protect services • Environmentally oCreated 8 local green spaces – no development permitted oMaintain and enhance screens of trees and bushes oMitigation of flooding oTwo ponds and surrounding areas made nature reserves for community Subsequent challenges • Sites not in made Neighbourhood Plan o Horsham District Council put site in 2015 SHELAA as “developable” o Appeal to Planning Inspectorate against refusal of Planning permission Finally THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS? Nuthurstplan.wordpress.com .

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