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! Map 3 19 Map 1 Back Cover 1. Introduction 4 ! 1.0 Definition of the Plan 4 5. Safeguarding Local Green Spaces 20 1.1 Why develop the Plan? 4 5.0 Context 20 1.2 Overview of Neighbourhood Plan area 4 5.1 Policy objectives 21 1.3 Timetable 5 Local Green Spaces Policy 22 1.4 Management structure 5 5.2 Local Green Space Policy Rationale 22 1.5 Community consultation 6 5.3 Other ongoing work and actions 22 1.6 Proposed community projects & ! planning policies 6 6. Walking, cycling and safer roads 23 1.7 Project implementation and financing 6 6.0 Context 23 1.8 Neighbourhood Plan evidence base 6 6.1 Plan objectives 24 Map 4 25 2. Vision and objectives 7 6.2 Policies 26 2.0 Vision 7 6.3 Rationale for Highways approach 27 2.1 Plan objectives 7 6.4 Other ongoing work and actions 27 ! Contents 3. Planning and Development 8 7. Village Hub, Community Facilities & Assets 28 3.0 Context 8 7.0 Context 28 Map 2 11 7.1 Policy objectives 30 3.1 Policy objectives 12 Community Development Policy 30 3.2 Policies 12 7.2 Community Development Policy Rationale 31 3.3 The Villages Design Statement Rationale 12 7.3 Other ongoing work and actions 31 Planning & Development Policy 13 Table 1 Key facilities & services 32 Housing Policy 14 Map 5 33 3.4 Housing Policy Rationale 14 Table 2 Key community facilities and assets 34 Housing Policy 14 Affordable Housing Policy 15 8. Business and Technology 35 3.5 Affordable Housing Policy Rationale 15 8.0 Context 35 3.6 Other ongoing work and actions 15 8.1 Policy objectives 35 ! 8.2 Policies 35 4. Natural Environment 16 8.3 Ongoing work and actions 35 4.0 Context 16 Map 6 36 4.1 Objectives 17 4.2 Ongoing work and actions 18 9. Glossary 37 page 2 Appendix - See Separate File D9: Articles in Limpley Stoke Clarion A: Strategic Environment Assessment - Policy Options D10: Articles in Freshford Bulletin A1: Strategic Environment Assessment - Analysis of Policy Options D11: Community emails B: Sustainability Appraisal D12: Comments received in response to consultation on Revised B1: Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening Draft Neighbourhood Plan B2: Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening Decision D13: Legal Compliance Guide. B3: Strategic Environmental Assessment Decision E: Timetable B4: Safeguarding Local Green Spaces F: Parish Plan - Limpley Stoke; 2008 C: Neighbourhood Area Designation F1: Parish Plan - Freshford; 2008 C1: Compliance Statement G: Heart of Wessex Partnership; 2013/4 Report D. Community Consultation Statement H: Shared Space Report, Freshford; 2007 D1: ‘Freshford and Limpley Stoke Community Planning Workshop – I: Getting About Report, Freshford; 2009 January and February 2012’ J: Housing Needs Survey - Limpley Stoke; 2009 D2: Neighbourhood Plan launch leaflet; June 2012 J1: Housing Needs Survey - Freshford; 2009 D3: Leaflet/Questionnaire ‘Making Progress’; February 2013 J2: Housing Needs Survey - Limpley Stoke; 2011 D4: Quiz 'involvement' leaflet; September/October 2012 K: Freshford and Sharpstone Conservation Area D5: ‘Making Progress’ questionnaire – Response Analysis; April 2013 L: Ownership of key neighbourhood facilities D6: Draft Neighbourhood Plan; July 2013 M: Freshford Village Memorial Hall Redevelopment D7: Public Notice of consultation; Jan 2014 N: CAONB - Enclosed Limestone Valleys D8: Revised Draft Neighbourhood Plan; Jan 2014 ! page 3 1.0 Definition of the Plan cases where the contents are relevant to the matter The Freshford and Limpley Stoke Neighbourhood under consideration. Plan (“the Plan”) has been drawn up under the Localism Act 2011 and embraces the parishes of The Neighbourhood Plan is evidence-based and is Freshford in Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) aimed at bringing together the whole community with and Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire (see Map 1, back a single and coherent Plan. It will be used by the cover). Freshford and Limpley Stoke was designated Parish Councils and other community groups, as a Neighbourhood Plan Area on 30th October statutory agencies and utility providers to drive 2013. forward community projects and will help attract 1.1 Why develop the Plan? funding to enable their implementation. Freshford and Limpley Stoke Parish Councils (The 1.2 Overview of the Neighbourhood Plan area Qualifying Body) consider that a neighbourhood plan This Neighbourhood Plan covers the parishes of Section 1 will give the local population a greater influence on Limpley Stoke and Freshford which conjoin and are land use planning in Freshford and Limpley Stoke. located about six miles south-east of the City of Under the Localism Act 2011, the Plan will allow Bath (see Map 1, back cover). This area lies in the residents of Freshford and Limpley Stoke to determine Limpley Stoke and Frome Valley and at the Introduction the scale, pace and location of new developments, confluence of the River Frome with the River Avon. which will ensure that Freshford and Limpley Stoke The steep valley sides provide part of the unique remain vibrant communities whilst protecting the character of the villages. The whole area is within unique rural environment which defines the character the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of this area. (CAONB) which classifies it as a “closed limestone valley” and characterises it as a rolling and settled The Freshford and Limpley Stoke Parish Councils agrarian landscape with a domestic and rural believe their combined community requires a cohesive character. The underlying limestone characterises strategy for future development. The Plan has been much of the building materials used in the two prepared for and by the community and is locally parishes. specific. This is particularly important given the cross The two parishes are over 1,000 years old and the border nature of this community, which is not reflected distinctive county boundary between Freshford and Limpley Stoke is believed to reflect the tenth in either Core Strategy. century Wessex shires. The remains of the pre- Due account will be required to be taken of the Roman settlement of Woodwick are located in fields contents of the Neighbourhood Plan by the local near Peipards Farm in Freshford, and it is thought planning authorities in Wiltshire and B&NES in all St Mary’s Church in Limpley Stoke was rebuilt in stone in 1001. page 4 Freshford and Limpley Stoke are of roughly equal w A Steering Committee comprising the size with a combined population of around 1,100 Management Committee (see below) and planning residents living in 459 households (source: ONS policy officers of both relevant local authorities to 2011 Census). The two villages cover an area of oversee the overall process.! 465ha. ! The two parishes share many services, including a w A Management Committee of six Parish community shop, a primary school, a pre-school, a Councillors (three from each Parish Council and GP surgery, two village halls and two churches in including the Chairs and Vice-Chairs) to organise the same united parish. They also share many and coordinate the day-to-day management of the social activities including the annual village fete. Plan. Plan Area map on back Together the two villages form a single, sustainable ! community, albeit divided by a county boundary - w A Clerk to the Management Committee which is the rationale for a joint Neighbourhood responsible for administrative support and finances.! Plan. ! ! w Four Working Groups, which reported in to the 1.3 !Timetable! Management Committee. They consisted of a Chairman and members of both communities to The Plan supplements Wiltshire and B&NES’ Core explore and advise on the main issues touching the Strategies. The Wiltshire Core Strategy is intended community. ! to provide strategic planning policy until 2026 and ! the timetable for the B&NES Core Strategy is “for w A Communications Group formed to engage the next 20 years and beyond”. This with the wider community.! Neighbourhood Plan seeks to shape and influence ! future planning for Limpley Stoke and Freshford to w In addition, professional planning and design 2039 and beyond. It will be reviewed every 5 years consultants have been employed to advise the by the two Parish Councils.! Working Groups and the Management Committee ! and financed with the generous support of the 1.4 !Management structure! Department of Communities & Local Government, Freshford and Limpley Stoke Parish Councils (“the the Prince’s Foundation and CABE Design Council. qualifying body”) have the legal responsibility for the creation and implementation of the Plan and have been supported by the relevant local authorities. To progress the creation of the Plan, the !following structure was set up: page 5 1.5 Community consultation ! The development of this Neighbourhood Plan has 1.7 Project implementation and financing been an evolutionary process and has been driven The projects proposed in this Neighbourhood Plan by extensive community consultation (see Appendix will be supported by the Freshford and Limpley Stoke D). The key areas of concern and ideas for the plan Parish Councils and implemented by local area were first raised in well attended community community groups and volunteers. This has been the meetings and workshops which kicked off the successful pattern for recent projects in the process in January 2012. These ideas were community which include: the Galleries community investigated more closely by the four Working shop; painted pavements; the Tyning; King George V Groups working in close collaboration with the play ground; Galleries’ solar panels; the cloakroom in Management Committee. This process was overseen St Mary’s Church; the Limpley Stoke telephone kiosk by the Steering Committee which included library, etc. representatives from the two relevant local ! authorities. Over £400,000 has been raised by the community in ! the past five years to fund the projects listed above Further public opinion was sought through a number through grants and loans.