HELPSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN Consultation Version June 2021
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HELPSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 2021 to 2036 All photos within this Neighbourhood plan © David Dykes All maps within this Neighbourhood Plan © Crown copyright. All Rights Reserved –PSGA 100062059 2 HELPSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN Consultation version June 2021 Index 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 4 WHY PRODUCE A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN? .................................................................................................................. 4 ABOUT THE HELPSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN ............................................................................................................. 4 POLICY CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Socio-economic profile ................................................................................................................................... 7 Services .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Transport ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 2 VISION AND OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................... 10 VISION ................................................................................................................................................................ 10 OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 3 POLICIES ................................................................................................................................................ 11 FOCUS A: BUILT ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................... 11 Context ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Village growth .............................................................................................................................................. 14 .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17 FOCUS B: NATURAL ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................................................... 18 Enhancing the natural environment ............................................................................................................ 18 Policy Context ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Wildlife Habitats and Species ....................................................................................................................... 18 Wildlife Sites and Corridors .......................................................................................................................... 19 FOCUS C: COMMUNITY AMENITY ............................................................................................................................. 22 Village Amenities ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Transport and Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................... 27 Heritage Assets ............................................................................................................................................ 29 FOCUS D: LOCAL ECONOMY .................................................................................................................................... 31 Employment and Local Businesses ............................................................................................................... 31 4 COMMUNITY PROJECTS ......................................................................................................................... 32 5 MONITORING AND REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 32 6 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................................. 33 List of Maps Map 1 Helpston Neighbourhood Area .................................................................................................... 5 Map 2 Village Envelope and Conservation Area ..................................................................................... 7 Map 3 New Houses constructed in Helpston the last 25 years (since 1996)........................................ 14 Map 4 Development Site LP41.5 ........................................................................................................... 15 Map 5 Locally Important Wildlife Sites ................................................................................................. 21 Map 6 Views to open countryside from the Highway to be protected from alteration ...................... 22 Map 7 Helpston Local Green Space ...................................................................................................... 24 Map 8 Missing walkways or cycleways ................................................................................................. 29 Map 9 Location of Heritage Assets ....................................................................................................... 30 3 1 Introduction 1.1 This is the Helpston Neighbourhood Plan 2021-2036. The plan covers the Helpston Parish Neighbourhood Area which was formally designated by Peterborough City Council in April 2018 and the boundary of which matches the boundary of Helpston Parish. 1.2 This is the version of the plan for consultation under Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. Why produce a neighbourhood plan? 1.3 Neighbourhood Plans were introduced in the Localism Act (2011) with the intention of giving communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development of their local area. Neighbourhood planning provides a powerful set of tools for local people to ensure that they get the right types of development for their community where the ambition of the neighbourhood is aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area. 1.4 When adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will have the same status as the Peterborough City Council Local Plan, becoming part of the ‘development plan’. Decisions on planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. As such this neighbourhood plan will provide an important framework for how Helpston should grow in the coming years. 1.5 However, it should be noted that national policy stipulates that neighbourhood plans should not promote less development than is set out in the Local Plan or undermine its strategic priorities. As such, the Peterborough Local Plan will set a level of growth that will occur within Helpston and the neighbourhood plan cannot prevent that. 1.6 What the neighbourhood plan can do is to create a suite of policies that complements existing local, national and strategic planning policy, to provide additional detail and subtlety that reflect the special characteristics of Helpston that cannot reasonably be addressed by higher-level policy. It can also help to secure the infrastructure that is needed to support growth and protect areas, landmarks and services that are most important to the community. About the Helpston neighbourhood plan 1.7 The Helpston Neighbourhood Plan is being produced by Helpston Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group for Helpston Parish Council on behalf of the community of Helpston. The boundary of the Helpston Neighbourhood Area, which was formally designated on 3rd April 2018, can be seen on Map 1 below: 4 Map 1 Helpston Neighbourhood Area 5 1.8 Helpston has undergone rapid growth in the past twenty years with three significant development sites and several smaller ones. The new Peterborough Local Plan includes a further new site for up to 82 houses that is yet to be developed. This plan is intended to ensure that: • new development fits the village context and delivers an appropriate mix and style of houses • development is supported by the necessary facilities and services • the important attributes of Helpston that the community holds dear are not lost • Helpston’s historical character is retained and strengthened 1.9 The Helpston Neighbourhood Plan sets out how Helpston should develop sustainably in the best interest of the village, in the context of the wider Local Plan. 1.10 Neighbourhood Plans are restricted to dealing with matters relating to land use and development planning, and therefore many other important non-planning matters