Ropsley and District Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement Submission Version August 2020 1 Contents 1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................3 2 Legal Basis……………………………………….................................................................................... 3 3 Our Consultation Statement .................................................................................................4 4 The Neighbourhood Area Designation……………………………………............................................5 5 Household Survey…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….6 6 Initial External Consultee Notification.………………………………………………………………………...……7 7 Regulation 14: Community Consultation on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan…………....8 to 17 8 Regulation 14: External Consultation on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan…………………18 to 32 Appendices (Pages 33 to 53) Appendix 1 - Designation Report (October 2016) Appendix 2 - Household questionnaire Appendix 3 - List of External Consultees and copy of email from 3rd September 2019. Appendix 4 - Draft Plan Newsletter and Questionnaire Appendix 5 - Social Media for the Draft Plan Appendix 6 - Draft Plan External Consultees email and listing from 14th Feb. 2020 Appendix 7 - Draft Plan Exhibition 2 1 Introduction 1.1 The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee has been committed in undertaking consistent, transparent, effective and inclusive periods of community consultation throughout the development of the Ropsley and District Neighbourhood Development Plan referred to hereafter as Neighbourhood Plan (NP) and associated evidence base. 1.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Regulations require that, when an NP is submitted for examination, a statement should also be submitted setting out details of those consulted, how they were consulted, the main issues and concerns raised and how these have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed Plan. 1.3 People from our community have contributed to producing the plan. Everyone who offered their opinions, ideas, arguments or hands on help contributed to the final Plan. At the time of writing the NP, the Steering Committee consisted of people who have volunteered to work together to complete the process. They usually met once a month, or more if needed, to report on progress and to review comments and ideas, as well as look at new ways to engage with the community. The Committee reported back to the Parish Council which approved the Submission Documents. 1.4 The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee received direct support from officers at South Kesteven District Council and independent planning consultants. This support helped to guide and direct the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, but as noted above, much of the content of the NP was prepared by residents. 1.5 The Steering Committee engaged with the whole community in establishing issues and opportunities, the future vision and our objectives. The benefits of involving a wide range of people within the process, included: • More focus on priorities identified by our community; • Influencing the provision and sustainability of local services and facilities; • Enhanced sense of community empowerment; • An improved local understanding of the planning process; and • Increased support for our Neighbourhood Plan through the sense of community ownership. 1.6 The Neighbourhood Plan process had clear stages in which the Steering Committee has directly consulted the community on aspects of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan, including events, surveys and presentations. Residents were updated on the process with newsletters, the website: http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/RopsleyandHumby/ District Council Website and Facebook. Regular updates were also given to the Parish Council on the progress of the Plan throughout the process. 2 Legal Basis: 2.1 Section 15(2) of part 5 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (as amended) 2012 sets out that, a consultation statement should be a document containing the following: • Details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed Neighbourhood Development Plan; • Explanation of how they were consulted; • Summary of the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; and • Description of how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed. 2.2 The NP for Ropsley and District will cover the period 2019 until 2036. The NP proposal does not deal with county matters (mineral extraction and waste development), nationally significant infrastructure or any other matters set out in Section 61K of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. 3 3 Our Consultation Statement 3.1 This Statement outlines the stages which have led to the production of the Ropsley and District NP in terms of consultation with residents, businesses in the parish, stakeholders and statutory consultees. In addition, this statement provides a summary and, in some cases, detailed descriptions of the numerous consultation events and other ways in which residents and stakeholders were able to influence the content of the Plan. The appendices detail certain procedures and events that were undertaken, including producing questionnaires and running consultation events. The consultation stages in this statement are summarised in the Figure 1. Fig. 1 Consultation stages for the Ropsley and District Neighbourhood Plan Timing Event Attendance/Responses 12th November 2015 PC Meeting – decision to prepare a NP Parish Councillors and public gallery 28th July 2016 Designation application and SKDC consultation No comments (designation 13th Oct.) July 2017 Household survey (389 questionnaires) 100 questionnaires returned. Presentation on outcomes at open meeting on 6th December 2017 3rd Sept. 2019 Notice of NP preparation to external 10 responses (5 substantive) consultees and; invitation to comment. 14th February to 28th Draft Plan Consultation (Regulation 14) Newsletter / questionnaire (43 returns) March 2020 Exhibition (attendance - 112) 30 External/Statutory Consultees Open PC Meeting. 4 4 The Neighbourhood Area Designation 4.1 The first stage in the statutory process was for the boundary of the Neighbourhood Plan, (the Neighbourhood Area), to be formally designated by the Local Planning Authority. As the appropriate ‘Qualifying Body’ Ropsley & District Parish Council applied to the District Council to designate the Neighbourhood Area on 28th July 2016. The proposed boundary of the neighbourhood area followed the parish boundary. The application was advertised in accordance with statutory requirements and representations invited on the proposed boundary. The designated was approved on 12th October 2016 and the area is shown in Figure 2 (below). The Designation Report can be on South Kesteven District Council’s webpage: http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=19121&p=0 Figure 2: Ropsley and District Neighbourhood Plan Area 5 5 Household Survey (July 2017) 5.1 In July 2017, the Steering Committee consulted the local community to establish what people believe was important about living in Ropsley District, to understand what they felt is good about the area, what needs protecting, and what needs improving. Of 389 questionnaires(2 per household) 100 (24%) were returned. See summary below and Appendix 2. For details of the outcomes see PC website, (Community Update 6th Dec. 2017): http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Files/Parish/742/Neighbourhood_Plan_Presentation_for_Dec_6th__Final_Ver sion.pdf 5.2 On why people enjoy living in the Parish, the following received most support: - Ease of access to Grantham; - Feeling safe; - Peace and quiet; - The beauty of the countryside and green spaces – beautiful walks; - Village life – parks, great pub, clubs and school; - Community feeling. 5.3 There was a request that any development should be in-keeping with the character of the village. 67% of people wanted to see some development (67%) but this was limited/contained to 2-bed starter and 3 bed homes. 5.4 The responses showed that the following matters were things that people disliked and they thought did not contribute to their enjoyment of living in the village: - The condition of the roads; - Isolating – not very much happens; - Inconsiderate neighbours; - No shop in any of the villages, with comments supporting the provision of a village shop; - Poor broadband; - Lack of public transport; and environmental issues such as dog mess, litter and vacant properties 5.5 People stated that the following issues and features of the natural environment should be regarded as important issues when development proposals are considered: - Traffic and parking; - Changes to the villages and the green spaces; - Effect on the countryside around the villages; - Effect on the school and leisure facilities; - Nature conservation and biodiversity. 5.6 Most respondents were also keen to see both access to the countryside and footpaths protected when considering any development proposals. There were additional comments relating to the need for: - Better infrastructure; - Sustainable development in keeping with the surroundings; - Mindful that all communities contribute to the need for housing. 5.7 When considering development proposals in the Parish, respondents rated the following aspects of the built environment as being the most important to protect: - Managing the size of the village, to retain its quality and identity; - Maintaining historical quality; - Taking accounts of the distinctive building style. 5.8