Joint Position Statement (JPS)

by

Daventry District Council Borough Council South Council

on

Neighbourhood Planning in

1. Introduction

1.1 This paper summarises the current position with regard to neighbourhood planning activity across West Northamptonshire and its relationship to the Joint Core Strategy.

1.2 It outlines: the name, location and status of neighbourhood development plans issues that have arisen with neighbourhood area applications and the proposed Sustainable Urban Extensions the future relationship between the Joint Core Strategy and the preparation of neighbourhood plans.

2. Neighbourhood planning activity in West Northamptonshire

2.1 The table below lists the neighbourhood development plans that have formally commenced the preparation process:

District Parish/Neighbourhood Current Status (as at March 2013) Neighbourhood area application approved (Dec 2012) Daventry Moulton Neighbourhood area application approved (Dec 2012) Daventry Neighbourhood area application approved (Feb 2013 Daventry Neighbourhood area application approved (Feb 2013 Daventry (Forum) Neighbourhood area and forum application being determined Daventry and Onley Neighbourhood area application being determined Northampton Blackthorn (Forum)* Northampton Spring Boroughs Neighbourhood area application being determined *(Forum) Northampton Wootton and (with Collingtree)* Northampton Parish Council South Northants * Neighbourhood area application approved (Jan 2013) South Northants * Neighbourhood area application approved (Jan 2013) South Northants * Neighbourhood area application being determined South Northants Neighbourhood area application approved (Jan 2013)

2.2 Of the above, those with an asterisk are part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning Front Runners.

2.3 A number of other organisations are considering the preparation of a neighbourhood development plan but have yet to formally start the process.

2.4 No proposals have formally come forward in West Northamptonshire for a Neighbourhood Development Order or a Community Right to Build.

3. Neighbourhood area applications and the proposed Sustainable Urban Extensions

3.1 A number of issues have emerged when neighbourhood area applications either incorporate or adjoin the proposed Sustainable Urban Extensions.

3.2 Moulton Parish Council submitted a neighbourhood area application to Council that included the adjoining Overstone Parish and thereby incorporated the whole of the Northampton North Sustainable Urban Extension. Further discussions confirmed their intention to reconsider the red line boundary of the proposed Sustainable Urban Extension. Whilst supportive of their efforts to undertake a neighbourhood development plan, the District Council believed this should not interfere or delay the preparation of the strategic planning policies and proposals for the wider area that are addressed in the Joint Core Strategy. It was felt that a neighbourhood development plan should focus on local development needs from within its own community and not attempt to plan for the wider residential needs of West Northamptonshire, in this case particularly those arising from Northampton Borough. The District Council therefore felt it appropriate to refuse the original neighbourhood area application and use its powers to modify the specified area to exclude the proposed Sustainable Urban Extension and remainder of Overstone Parish, thereby allowing Moulton Parish Council to prepare a neighbourhood development plan for the amended area.

3.3 Harpole Parish Council was granted ‘Front Runner status’ in March 2012. They submitted an application for the designation of a neighbourhood area in June 2012, which originally included part of the Sustainable Urban Extension at Northampton West. Responses at that time raised concern about the inclusion of part of the SUE within the neighbourhood plan area, and Council suggested either that the SUE area either be excluded from the neighbourhood plan area or that Harpole joined with the other parishes that included land at the SUE to ensure that the SUE was planned in a comprehensive manner. A revised boundary was received from Harpole Parish Council in October 2012 which is currently in the process of being approved as a neighbourhood plan area. This is likely to be approved as the revision to the Plan area does not affect the Core Strategy. There are another 3 neighbourhood plans within South Northamptonshire District that are being pursued. These relate to villages and are not considered to be detrimental to the adoption or implementation of the Core Strategy, and predominantly deal with non-strategic matters.

3.4 Wootton and East Hunsbury Parish Council were successfully granted ‘Front Runner Status’ as part of the 4th wave of pilot plans. Having explored some of the major issues that the parish may face over the JCS plan period, the parish council have expressed a desire to work jointly with Collingtree Parish Council on their plan. The aspiration to work jointly is supported by Collingtree Parish Council and a formal letter has been received by Northampton Borough Council. However, to date, no application to designate a Neighbourhood Area has been submitted for determination and the Parish Council face an additional complication brought about by the conclusion of a Community Governance Review, which proposes a split to the existing parish council area. Work on the plan is being progressed through a series of informal working groups that are accountable to the Parish Council. One of the options, which have been presented, expresses a desire to alter the current proposed boundary of the Northampton South SUE allocation, without including additional dwellings; this option has been submitted by the working group as a representation to the Joint Core Strategy.

4. The future relationship between neighbourhood plans and the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy

4.1 When a Parish Council or Forum submits a neighbourhood development plan to the appropriate local planning authority it must demonstrate that it has met certain ‘basic conditions’ before it can come into force. Amongst other things, these state that the plan must be in general conformity with the strategic policies in the development plan for the area.

4.2 Any neighbourhood plan in West Northamptonshire must thereby generally comply with the policies and proposals contained within the Joint Core Strategy.

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