A Neighbourhood Development Plan [NDP] is a community-led framework for guiding the future development and growth of an area.
It may contain a vision, aims, and planning policies that relate to the use and development of land and the linked social, economic and environmental issues. It may deal with a wide range of issues (like housing, employment, heritage and transport) so long as they can be influenced by statutory Planning processes.
Ponsanooth Parish Council is the local ‘qualifying body’ in planning law that has the power to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for our area. The Parish Council is keen to make sure that local views and considerations are taken into account when it comes to future development within the Parish. The Plan is being written in partnership with the local community through the Ponsanooth NDP Steering Group which is made up of a committed group of Parish Councillors and local residents.
The Plan will be based on the feedback that the Steering Group have received through several community consultations that have been held recently. It must also take into account government policy and local economic, social and environmental conditions. When the draft Plan it is ready a formal 6 week community consultation will take place, following which it will be submitted to Cornwall Council.
The Neighbourhood Plan will then go through further consultation, an independent examination and then a local referendum before it is approved in law. Once our Plan has been approved, it will become part of the formal planning system and be a ‘material consideration’ for planning applications, alongside national and Cornwall Local Plan policies, and MUST be taken in to account.
Why do we need one in Ponsanooth Parish??
A Neighbourhood Plan for our parish will allow residents to develop planning policies that reflect their own priorities and help to deliver the kind of community that they would like to see in the future.
Once in place, the policies in the Neighbourhood Plan will be used to help Cornwall Council’s Planning Officers, Councillors and Planning Inspectors to decide whether future planning applications should be approved or refused, or what planning conditions and legal agreements should be put in place.
It will mean that local views WILL be taken into account when planning decisions are made.
The Neighbourhood Plan will also help the local community to set out any projects that it would like to see happen over the coming years.
This video explains more about Neighbourhood Planning – it was created by Locality, which funds and supports communities to deliver their Neighbourhood Plans.