Maidwell with Draughton Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement
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Maidwell with Draughton Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement CONSULTATION STATEMENT This document was produced by the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group on behalf of Maidwell with Draughton Parish Council MAIDWELL WITH DRAUGHTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION STATEMENT CONTENTS Section Title Page 1 Introduction 2 2 Commencement of the Neighbourhood Plan and its consultation 2 3 Aims of the consultation 2 4 Consultation methods 2 5 Stages of the consultation and project milestones 3 6 Setting the extent of the Neighbourhood Plan area 4 7 Developing the community’s vision and priorities 4 8 Pre-submission considerations 5 9 List of consultees 5 10 Main issues and concerns raised during the consultation process 5 Appendix A A list of the bodies, local groups and organisations, and other 7 individuals with whom this process of consultation has been engaged B Blank copy of the questionnaire and survey form used to engage with 8 the local community C A summary of the comments received through the questionnaires 13 provided in Appendix B and the responses made within the Plan process D Blank copy of the Regulation 14 consultation questionnaire used for 18 responses to the draft Neighbourhood Plan E A summary of comments received from the questionnaire in Appendix 20 D and of how these points have been addressed in the submitted Plan F Minutes from Maidwell with Draughton Parish Council meetings at 68 which the Maidwell with Draughton Neighbourhood Plan consultation process and the responses received were discussed and amendments agreed upon 1 MAIDWELL WITH DRAUGHTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION STATEMENT 1 Introduction 1.1 This Consultation Statement has been prepared to fulfil the legal obligations of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012, Section 15(2). 1.2 It has been understood from the start of this process that Part 5 of the Regulations requires a Consultation Statement to: a) include details of the persons and bodies who have been consulted about the proposed neighbourhood plan; b) explain how they have been consulted; c) summarise the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; d) describe how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood plan. 2 The commencement of the Neighbourhood Plan and its consultation 2.1 Consultations with the village community were undertaken during the early part of 2016 to consider what might be appropriate ‘confines’ that confirm the areas for built development within each of the two main settlements in the parish. The District Council acknowledged that this work could be incorporated into the emerging Neighbourhood Plan. 2.2 A public meeting for residents was held on 27th April 2017, addressed by officers from Daventry District Council and a planning consultant. It was agreed to recommend the formation of a steering group to pursue a Neighbourhood Plan and this was approved by the Parish Council in May 2017 along with approval to interview three planning consultants. A Steering Group of 12 residents was formed in May. OneA Ltd, of Kislingbury, was selected in June 2017 and it assisted with a grant application to Locality/My Community. The grant to the Parish Council was awarded in July 2017. The first key task undertaken by the Steering Group was to draw up a survey questionnaire to gather the views of all Parish residents and local businesses. 3 The aims of the consultation 3.1 The aims of the Maidwell with Draughton Neighbourhood Plan consultation process have been to: a) involve as much of the local community as possible throughout all stages of the Plan’s development so that the content of the Plan has been informed by the views of local people and other stakeholders throughout the entire process; b) ensure that sufficient consultation events took place at points in the process where critical decisions have needed to be informed by local views; c) engage with as wide a range of people as possible, using a variety of approaches and communication techniques; and d) ensure that results of consultation were relayed back to local people as soon as possible after the consultation events. 4 The consultation methods 4.1 Consultation was undertaken by and through Maidwell with Draughton Parish Council, subsequently supported by its consultant, OneA Ltd, and looked to engage with local people 2 MAIDWELL WITH DRAUGHTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION STATEMENT and other stakeholders through a variety of engagements and methods of contact. In order to build confidence in how the process has embraced local concerns, it was acknowledged that the process must regularly update the local community on its development. All of the following methods for sharing ideas and feedback with local people were put into use: a) Open discussion at meetings of the Parish Council; b) Presentations at interactive public meetings on progress with the Plan; c) Surveying household priorities; d) Focused meetings with key landowners, agents and employers; e) Updates via the parish newsletter and Parish website; f) Information on Parish website. 5 The stages of the consultation and project milestones 5.1 It was envisaged at the start of the process that it could well take up to two years to have a suitable Plan ready for submission to the local planning authority. The consultation work undertaken from Spring 2016 to Summer 2018 has followed the following course: a) Confines 2016: Jan First meeting of sub-group to consider options for the two villages Mar Recommendation to the Parish Council approved to start will looking at the village confines 6 meeting of the group to consider proposals Dec Process designed for consultation with residents 2017: Jan Consultation process agreed by Parish Council Feb Newsletter to all residents and local businesses Mar Open exhibition of confines proposals April Public meeting to consider feedback and next steps b) Neighbourhood planning 2017: May Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee formed June Designated Area approved July Gather views questionnaire prepared Sept Gathering views survey underway Oct Gathering views survey closed. Initial responses considered Nov Collation of all survey responses and priorities determined Newsletter to all residents summarising responses Dec Plan vision and objectives drafted 2018: Jan Data gathering and plan drafting Feb DDC assist with Strategic Environment Assessment Mar Assessment against basic conditions starts Parish Council sign-off pre-submission consultation draft Apr Feedback to Locality on use of grant. Second grant application 3 MAIDWELL WITH DRAUGHTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION STATEMENT Pre-submission consultation with residents, local businesses, landowners and statutory consultees starts (10th) May Pre-submission consultation ends (22nd) June Response collation Meeting with DDC July Response collation Aug Modifications to draft plan Sept Parish Council response to Local Plan Part 2 consultation agreed Oct Further modifications to draft plan Nov Parish Council agrees draft plan for submission to DDC Dec Draft plan and supporting documents submitted to DDC 6 Setting the extent of the Neighbourhood Plan area 6.1 The formal designation of the “Maidwell with Draughton Neighbourhood Plan” area is co- terminus with the parish boundaries and was made by Daventry District Council on 5 June 2017. 7 Developing the community’s vision and priorities 7.1 The intention of this phase was to bring out initial statements of the local community’s key concerns about the parish, and establish people’s priorities. 7.2 The key priority from the confines’ consultation was for modest and appropriate growth of housing within the proposed confines. A number of other points were raised especially about highways which were communicated to the Parish Council. 7.3 The “gathering views” questionnaire sought to gain the views of residents and local businesses on a range of matters affecting the growth and development of the villages and surrounding area. A number of open questions were posed and a list of items that arose from the confines’ consultation was set out for each respondent to prioritise. 7.4 The results of the “gathering reviews” survey guided the Steering Committee’s drafting of a Vison statement and formed the objectives that were to be met by the plan. The headings for these objectives were: To protect the landscape and heritage of the two parishes To protect and enhance the green and open spaces of value to the community To maintain and develop housing opportunities for people from a range of life stages and socio-economic circumstances that are designed to be in keeping with the existing built form and are of high-quality construction To encourage improvements in road safety, traffic management and public transport To protect and enhance existing recreation, education and community facilities 7.5 From these objectives the following headings were created to which draft policies would be applied: Village Confines Housing Type Mix Design and Energy Efficiency Local Green Space Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Local Landscape Character 4 MAIDWELL WITH DRAUGHTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION STATEMENT Local Economy and Employment Protecting Community Facilities Traffic Management Footpaths/Cycleways/Connectivity 8 Pre-submission considerations 8.1 The intention of this phase was to circulate a readable presentation of the draft plan to all households and stakeholders so that the concerns and priorities identified to date could be read within the context of a proposed set of formal planning policies. 8.2 A copy of the draft Neighbourhood Plan document was distributed to all households and businesses in the parish in the week beginning 9th April 2018 to commence the statutory six- week consultation stage in accordance with Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Plan Regulations. A questionnaire was attached to the draft document to encourage comment and feedback on its shape and content (see Appendix D). 8.3 The draft Neighbourhood Plan document was also distributed to each of the required statutory consultees during this period and the responses received worked into final amendments for the Plan document to be completed for intended submission.