Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths
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HULME WALFIELD AND SOMERFORD BOOTHS CONSULTATION STATEMENT JULY 2017 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This consultation statement has been prepared to fulfil the legal obligations of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 in respect of the Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan. The legal basis of the Statement is provided by Section 15 (2) of Part 5 of the 2012 Neighbourhood Planning Regulations, which requires that a consultation statement should: Contain details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan; Explain how they were consulted; Summarise the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; Describe how those issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan. 1.2 Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths are small villages and civil parishes, just north of Congleton in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, together having a population of approximately 333. This has meant that consultation with members of the community has been a real possibility at a manageable scale, which has helped to allow the community to become aware of the Neighbourhood Plan, and to contribute to its development through various consultation events and questionnaires. Additionally, the Parish Council has published information on its website www.hulmewalfieldandsomerfordboothsparishcouncil.co.uk where Neighbourhood Plan documents and background evidence have been published and available to view. 2 BACKGROUND 2.1 The Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan is a community plan and must derive its vision, objectives and policies from the community. From the outset the Parish Council were determined that the residents should be kept informed and given every opportunity to inform the Steering Group of their views. Communication and consultation, in various forms, has played a major role in formulating the Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan. 2.2 It was considered essential to: • Promote a high degree of awareness of the project • Invite residents to join the Steering Group • Encourage everyone to contribute to the development of the Neighbourhood Plan • Promote consultation events and provide regular updates on the status of the Neighbourhood Plan and its development 2.3 Key to this programme was publicity to gain residents engagement. This was gained via public meetings, postal information and electronic media via the parish council website. Parish Council Newsletters have also been sent to households and made available on the parish council website. These newsletters can be viewed at www.hulmewalfieldandsomerfordboothsparishcouncil.org.uk. The newsletters have informed the community about the Neighbourhood Plan, successfully asked for further help and volunteers, informed residents of meetings and given updates as to the progress of the Neighbourhood Plan. 2.4 The decision to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan was agreed at a Parish Council meeting on 25th June 2015, when members of Brereton Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group attended the meeting to explain to members about the process of completing a Neighbourhood Plan. A steering group was formed, and work on the Neighbourhood Plan begun. 3. CONSULTATION EVENTS 3.1 THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN AREA DESIGNATION 3.2 Who was consulted and how were they consulted? The Consultation on the Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Plan Area ran from 27th October 2015 – 8th December 2015. The proposed area was consulted upon for a six week period, and was available to view on Cheshire East Council’s website. 3.3 Cheshire East sent an email to a list of statutory consultees and other interested groups and parties to inform them of the proposed designation and where it could be viewed. Information was also provided on the dedicated Neighbourhood Planning web pages on Cheshire East Council’s website. Comments could be made online, by email or by post. 3.4 What issues and concerns were raised? There were four comments on the proposed Neighbourhood Plan area designation, one from a member of the general public, one from a utility company, one from the Environment Agency and one from a developer. The respondents were supportive of the area designation or wished to be informed of progress. There were no objections to the proposed area designation. Details can be found on the following web page http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/planning/neighbourhood_plans/hulme-walfield-and-somerford- booths-neighbourhood-plan.aspx 3.5 How have the issues and concerns been considered? As there were no adverse comment received, no changes were made to the proposed Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Neighbourhood Area, which was officially designated by Cheshire East Council on 16th December 2015. 4 INITIAL QUESTIONNAIRE 4.1 Who was consulted and how were they consulted? An initial short questionnaire was delivered to every household in the parish on March 7th 2016 to be completed by 31st March 2016. (The questionnaire can be seen as an appendix to the Neighbourhood Plan at http://hulmewalfieldandsomerfordboothsparishcouncil.co.uk/ ) 4.2 The questionnaire was prepared by the Neighbourhood Plan steering group and gave information about the purpose of a Neighbourhood Plan, and explained the Neighbourhood Plan process. The questionnaire asked the following ten questions:- 1 Do you agree we should prepare a Neighbourhood Plan? 2 What do you like about where you live? 3 What do you dislike? 4 What do you see as the main threats to the future of our parishes? 5 Your vision: How would you like to be describing our parishes by 2013? 6 On a scale of 1-10 (low to high) how important are the following issues to you? Housing Jobs Transport and roads Leisure/recreation The natural environment The historic environment Infrastructure (services, internet etc) 7 What type of new development would you support? 8 What type would you object to (or not support)? 9 What priority issue would you really like to be included in the Plan? 10 Any other comments? 4.3 The questionnaire could be returned by email to the Parish Clerk, or by post to the Parish Clerk. Residents were told that their views were essential and would be welcomed at all future stages of the Neighbourhood Plan preparation. 4.4 What issues and concerns were raised? There were 26 questionnaire responses, a return rate of 19%, raising a number of issues and concerns. Word clouds were created to indicate the frequency with which people mentioned each item in their questionnaires; the bigger the word, the more frequent the mention. 4.5 The respondents indicated that they like: The rural nature of the parishes The open countryside The peace and quiet Greenery and wildlife 4.6 When asked what they didn’t like about living in the parishes, the responses included Ratruns through the village Inconsiderate development Slow broadband Lack of infrastructure Loss of the countryside No nearby shop or post office 4.7 The residents indicated that their fears for the future include Proposed housing developments Threat to tranquility Loss of wildlife Loss of agricultural land Expansion into the countryside Joining up of the parishes through ribbon development Bad development Inappropriately sited commercial and industrial development unsuitable to a countryside location 4.8 How have the issues and concerns been considered? The questionnaire indicated a consensus to undertake the Neighbourhood Plan. The results highlighted the issues which were important for local people to see included in the Neighbourhood Plan, and formed the basis of the Neighbourhood Plan vision, objectives and policies, and helped to determine what evidence needed to be gathered to inform the policies. The vision and objectives were drafted as a result of the concerns raised and the importance the community felt certain issues were to them. The natural environment was seen as the most important, followed by the historic/ traditional environment, infrastructure and services, transport and roads, leisure and recreation, housing and jobs. 5. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 5.1 At the Annual Parish Meeting on 7th April 2016, held at Westlow Mere, John Heselwood from Cheshire Community Action spoke about Neighbourhood Planning. 5.2 Who was consulted and how were they consulted? This was an open meeting, with all residents in the parishes invited via the website and newsletter. The meeting was a chance for the residents to learn more about the Neighbourhood Plan process, and to recognise how their views were an important element in the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan. Information was given on funding for the Plan, how it related to the emerging Cheshire East Local Plan, and a member of the Neighbourhood Plan steering group gave an update on progress. 5.3 What issues and concerns were raised and how have they been considered? No specific details of policies were discussed – rather there was a general questions and answer session, with the community being kept up to date on progress, and increasing their knowledge and understanding of the Neighbourhood Plan process and purpose. 6. FURTHER QUESTIONNAIRE 6.1 Who was consulted and how were they consulted? Following on from the initial questionnaire which helped formulate the Neighbourhood Plan’s vision and objectives, a further questionnaire was sent out in July 2016, delivered to every household. The questionnaire explained the process and gave an update