Neighbourhood Planning in East Northamptonshire

A number of Parish and Town Councils are now preparing Neighbourhood Plans for their respective parish areas. Details for each of these Neighbourhood Plans are set out below and more information on each can be found by clicking the purple links.

A summary table, showing the current progress of Neighbourhood Plans (as at August 2017) together with their respective status in development management (determining planning applications), may be viewed through the link below;

Neighbourhood Plans under preparation

Barnwell

Neighbourhood Area application received 3 October 2013
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area
Current stage in the process – Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 12 Feb 2014; Barnwell Parish Council now actively working to prepare its Neighbourhood Plan.

Brigstock

Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 12 February 2014
Current stage in the process – 1st draft “Regulation 14” Neighbourhood Plan consultation, 1 August – 22 September 2017
Further information is available through Brigstock Parish Council’s own Neighbourhood Plan web page

Barrowden and Wakerley

Neighbourhood Area application received 25 January 2015
Neighbourhood Area coverage - entire parish areas of Barrowden (within Rutland County) and Wakerley (within East Northamptonshire District)
Current stage in the process - Neighbourhood Area approved by Rutland County Council and East Northamptonshire Council under delegated powers, with effect from 27 April 2015.

Chelveston cum Caldecott

Neighbourhood Area application received 11 September 2013
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area (new parish boundary, which came into effect on 15 October 2014 under the recent Parish Review).
Revised Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 8 April 2015.
“Our Village – Our Plan Our Future” (Chelveston cum Caldecott Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2031) submitted to East Northamptonshire Council on 16 March 2016, for examination.
Chelveston cum Caldecott Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2031 Consultation Version 4.0 (Submission Plan) published for consultation, under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, as amended. The examiners report was received on 24 November 2016 and can be downloaded from the Chelveston cum Caldecott Neighbourhood Plan page.
Successful Referendum held on 4 May 2017 with a majority 'Yes' vote in favour of using the Plan to help decide planning applications in Chelveston cum Caldecott neighbourhood area.
Official Declaration of result
Current stage in the process – Chelveston cum Caldecott Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2031 'Made' by the full Council on 17 July 2017. It should now be used in determining planning applications alongside the relevant development plan documents.
The full background and supporting evidence base to the Neighbourhood Plan is available through Chelveston cum Caldecott Parish Council's own Neighbourhood Plan website.

Collyweston

Neighbourhood Area application received 4 March 2016
Neighbourhood Area coverage - entire parish area.
Current stage in the process - Neighbourhood Area approved 9 May 2016.

Deene and Deenethorpe

Neighbourhood Area application received 23 March 2015
Neighbourhood Area coverage - entire parish area
Current stage in the process - Neighbourhood Area approved 18 May 2015.

Duddington with Fineshade

Neighbourhood Area application received 09 June 2016
Neighbourhood Area coverage - entire parish area
Current stage in the process - Neighbourhood Area approved 23 August 2016

Glapthorn

Neighbourhood Area approved received 27 June 2016
Current stage in the process – 1st draft “Regulation 14” Neighbourhood Plan consultation, 21 August – 13 October 2017
Further information is available through Glapthorn Parish Council’s own Neighbourhood Plan web page

Higham Ferrers

Neighbourhood Area application received 18 December 2012
Neighbourhood Area coverage - entire parish area (new parish boundary, which came into effect on 15 October 2014 under the recent Parish Review).
Revised Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 10 December 2014.
Neighbourhood Plan submitted to East Northamptonshire Council on 11 June 2015 for examination.
Neighbourhood Plan 2011/2031 Submission Version was published for consultation, under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, as amended. Consultation ended on 17 August 2015. and representations can be viewed on the Higham Ferrers Neighbourhood Plan page.
Successful Referendum held on 18th February 2016 with a majority 'Yes' vote in favour of using the Plan to help decide planning applications in Higham Ferrers neighbourhood area.
Official Declaration of result
Current stage in the process - Higham Ferrers Neighbourhood Plan officially 'Made' and will be used in determining planning applications alongside the relevant development plan documents.

Further information regarding the Higham Ferrers Neighbourhood Plan is available through the Town Council’s own Neighbourhood Plan website.

Irthlingborough

Neighbourhood Area application received 11 April 2014
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area (new parish boundary, which came into effect on 15 October 2014 under the recent Parish Review).
Current stage in the process – Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire Council on 10 December 2014

King's Cliffe

Neighbourhood Area approved 19 June 2015
Current stage in the process – 1st draft “Regulation 14” Neighbourhood Plan consultation, 14 July – 15 September 2017
Further details are available through the Parish Council's own Neighbourhood Plan website.

Oundle

Neighbourhood Area application received 20 December 2012
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area
Current stage in the process – Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 17 June 2013
Oundle Town Council now actively working to prepare its Neighbourhood Plan. For further details, please view Oundle Town Council's own Neighbourhood Plan website.

Raunds

Neighbourhood Area application received 28 August 2013
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area (new parish boundary, which came into effect on 15 October 2014 under the recent Parish Review)
Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire on 12 Feb 2014
1st draft Raunds Neighbourhood Plan 2011-2031 published for consultation, 19 October – 1 December 2015.
Raunds Neighbourhood Plan 2011-2031 submitted to East Northamptonshire Council on 11 November 2016, for examination.
Raunds Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2031 (Submission Version) consultation, under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, as amended (2 December – 30 January 2017).
Current stage in the process – Plan examination due to take place during summer 2017.

Raunds Town Council has its own dedicated webpage for the preparation of its Neighbourhood Plan. The Town Council initially applied (21 December 2012) to designate a linear Neighbourhood Plan area boundary for the town centre (Brook Street/ High Street). However, the Town Council reconsidered this approach and instead decided to re-start the process with a new application to prepare a whole parish (together with those parts of Ringstead to the east of the A45) Neighbourhood Plan.

Rushden

Neighbourhood Area application received 25 June 2013
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area
Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire Council on 16 December 2013
Current stage in the process – 1st draft Rushden Neighbourhood Plan published for consultation by Rushden Town Council, closing date for comments 2 May 2017.

Further details about the Rushden Neighbourhood Plan are available through the Town Council’s dedicated website

Stanwick

Neighbourhood Area application received 30 May 2014
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area (new parish boundary, which came into effect on 15 October 2014 under the recent Parish Review).
Neighbourhood Area approved by East Northamptonshire Council on 10 December 2014.
Stanwick Neighbourhood Development Plan 2016-2031 submitted to East Northamptonshire Council on 26 August 2016, for examination.
Stanwick Neighbourhood Development Plan 2016-2031 (Submission Plan) consultation, under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, as amended.
Examiner appointed 15 December 2016; Examiner’s Report published 13 April 2017.
Successful Referendum held on 29 June 2017 with a majority 'Yes' vote in favour of using the Plan to help decide planning applications in Stanwick neighbourhood area.
Official Declaration of result
Current stage in the process – Stanwick Neighbourhood Development Plan 2016-2031 'Made' by the full Council on 17 July 2017. It should now be used in determining planning applications alongside the relevant development plan documents.
The full background and supporting evidence base to the Neighbourhood Plan is available through Stanwick Parish Council's own Neighbourhood Plan website.

Warmington

Neighbourhood Area application received 6 June 2017
Neighbourhood Area coverage – entire parish area
Current stage in the process – Neighbourhood Area designation 8 August 2017

Neighbourhood Planning Toolkits

Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit (North Northamptonshire) prepared by Local Authorities giving practical advice for communities in the area. The toolkit has collated a list of useful links for further information.
Northamptonshire County Council Flood Toolkit giving advice on how to consider flood risk in a Neighbourhood Plan.

Protocol

East Northamptonshire Council have produced a Neighbourhood Planning Protocol detailing what help and guidance the council will provide for communities wishing to develop a neighbourhood plan.

Neighbourhood Planning Protocol

Timetable of Key Stages

East Northamptonshire Council have produced a timetable highlighting key stages that Town/Parish Councils will need to go through when preparing a Neighbourhood Plan.

Neighbourhood Plan Timetable of Key Stages

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) and Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)

Once adopted (or "made"), a Neighbourhood Plan will become part of the statutory development plan for East Northamptonshire. It is therefore critical that all relevant legal requirements arising through the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan are fully met.

Neighbourhood Plans will therefore need to be prepared in accordance with the following legislation

The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (SI 2004 No 1633)
The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI 2010 No 490), as amended
Human Rights Act 1998

These items of legislation all require a Neighbourhood Plan to be "screened" for SEA, HRA or EIA; i.e. tested to see whether a full assessment is deemed to be necessary in each case. To assist with the process, we have prepared "model" SEA, HRA and EIA pro-formas. Relevant bodies (i.e. East Northamptonshire Council, Town Council(s), Parish Council(s) or Neighbourhood Forums) may use these three toolkits to screen an emerging Neighbourhood Plan for SEA, HRA or EIA.

We will review any completed forms and send these onto the relevant bodies (English Heritage, Environment Agency, Natural England and/ or the Local Wildlife Trust etc), as appropriate. It is important that this screening is undertaken as early as possible in the Neighbourhood Planning process. This will enable Neighbourhood Planning groups (Town Council(s), Parish Council(s) or Neighbourhood Forums) to secure timely feedback and to address any issues arising from the screening exercises at an early stage.

If the SEA, HRA or EIA screening indicates that more detailed assessments will be required, it is advised that the responsible body should contact East Northamptonshire and/ or their appointed consultant (in the event that a consultant has been employed to prepare the Neighbourhood Plan). It is likely that a specialist consultant would be needed to undertake the necessary full assessments.

Neighbourhood Planning in other areas

Bedford Borough Council has received an application from Dean & Shelton Parish Council for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area. This area adjoins East Northamptonshire.

Application from Dean & Shelton Parish Council

Useful Links

View the Key Stages to Neighbourhood Planning

The following organisations can also provide some support and advice:

Community Rights - Details on neighbourhood planning grants available from 1st May 2013
RTPI - Sign up for a monthly e-bulletin with relevant information and news
Princes Foundation
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
National Association of Local Councils
Rural Services Network - General overview as well as tailored local statistics/analysis for individual parishes.

Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO)

Local people can choose to draw up either a neighbourhood plan, or a neighbourhood development order, or both, however they must follow the same rules as a neighbourhood plan.
NDOs can grant planning permission for specified developments in a neighbourhood area, for example, certain types of household extensions, shop fronts, ‘green energy’ proposals. Where there is a neighbourhood development order in place there would be no need to apply to the council for planning permission for the development it covers.

With a NDO, the community can grant planning permission for new buildings they want to see go ahead without the need for planning applications.

For further information on Neighbourhood Plans, please contact the planning policy team on 01832 742010 or email: planningpolicy@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk

Neighbourhood Planning