South East Neighbourhood Planning Roadshow Nuthurst Parish Case Study Owen Hydes OBE Nuthurst Parish Councillor Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Val Court, Chair, Nuthurst Parish Council • Richard Webber, Secretary, Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group • Faustina Bayo and team at Action in rural Sussex • Neil Homer and team at rCOH • Barbara Childs and team at Horsham District Council • Nuthurst Parish Residents THANK YOU Presentation • About Nuthurst Parish • Our Neighbourhood Plan • Why do a Neighbourhood Plan? • Who was involved in the Plan? • What issues/needs did it identify? • How easy to produce – what barriers faced? • What benefits has the community accrued (socially economically and environmentally)? • Subsequent challenges Map of Nuthurst Parish Mannings Heath Sedgwick Monks Gate Nuthurst Copsale Maplehurst Key Statistics • Population 1,777, Mannings Heath about 1,100 • 778 Dwellings, mainly detached • Rural character – 13 active farms • Services include: primary school, three pubs, two churches, two village halls, one village shop, one garage/shop and a golf complex • But no doctor’s surgery, no dentist’s surgery, no secondary school, no post office, no main drainage in 4 settlements, no mains gas, frequent electricity power cuts • Limited bus services – no bus service in some settlements and infrequent elsewhere Our Neighbourhood Plan Timetable • May 2013 – Parish Council starts to consider a Neighbourhood Plan • August 2013 – set up Steering Group • April 2014 – published State of Parish Report • November 2014 – Parish consulted on Pre-submission Plan • February 2015 – Horsham DC consulted on Submission Plan • June 2015 – Independent Examiner’s Report • September 2015 – Referendum – 86.6% “Yes Vote” – turnout 50% • October 2015 – HDC “made” the Plan Our Neighbourhood Plan Key provisions • Provides for about 50 houses • Eight small developments spread across the Parish – three in Mannings Heath, two in Monks gate, two in Maplehurst and one in Nuthurst • Provides for some smaller houses for younger people and for older people to downsize • Allows for some “affordable” houses • Provides protection from development for 8 local green spaces Why do a Neighbourhood Plan? • Threat of major development • Control were development takes place • Protect our rural Parish Who was involved in the Plan? • Nuthurst Parish Council • The community • Steering Group – 3 Councillors and 9 residents • 4 Focus Groups – mainly residents • Action in rural Sussex and planning consultants, rCOH • Horsham District Council What issues/needs were identified? • No housing target set by Horsham District Council • No large developments wanted • Small developments spread across the Parish • Maintain rural nature and protect the rural environment • Managing increased traffic on rural roads • Avoiding localised flooding How easy to produce? What barriers faced? • Commitment to hard work over 2+ years • Securing Community involvement and approval – CONSULTATION • Deciding how many houses and where – CONSULTATION/SITE ASSESSMENT • Dealing with individuals challenging the process • From disgruntled landowners – STAY STRONG AND COMMITTED • Pressure • Threats of legal action • Corruption of Parish Council’s Regulation 14 Consultation What benefits to the Community? • Socially oBrought community together and engendered community spirit oCommunity able to take forward projects identified during Plan • Economically oRejuvenate the settlements oMaintain and protect services • Environmentally oCreated 8 local green spaces – no development permitted oMaintain and enhance screens of trees and bushes oMitigation of flooding oTwo ponds and surrounding areas made nature reserves for community Subsequent challenges • Sites not in made Neighbourhood Plan o Horsham District Council put site in 2015 SHELAA as “developable” o Appeal to Planning Inspectorate against refusal of Planning permission Finally THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS? Nuthurstplan.wordpress.com .