North Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

19th January 2016

Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?

Yes/No

 

North Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan

 

Final Decision-Maker

Full Council

Lead Director or Head of Service

Rob Jarman, Head of Planning and Development 

Lead Officer and Report Author

Chris Berry, Interim Team Leader, Spatial Policy

Classification

Non-exempt

Wards affected

 

 

 

This report makes the following recommendation:

1.    That the Committee recommends that Full Council approves the North Loose Neighbourhood Development plan  (NLNDP) to proceed to referendum.

 

 

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:

·         Great People

·         Great Place

·         Great Opportunity

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Council

25 January 2016



Report title here

 

 

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

1.1      This report is required to approve the North Loose Neighbourhood Development plan (NLNDP) for referendum as the final stage of the neighbourhood plan preparation process prior to adoption.   

 

 

2.         INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1      Following the decision of this Committee on 9th June 2015, a process was agreed for neighbourhood plans which required this Committee to recommend to Full Council that neighbourhood plans be approved for referendum as the final stage prior to its adoption. 

 

2.2      A report was brought to this Committee on 6th October 2015 with the Council’s representations to the independent Examiner for the North Loose Neighbourhood Development plan (NLNDP) according to Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Plan Regulations.  The representations were approved and despatched to the Examiner together with representations received from the public.

 

2.3      The Examiner reported to the North Loose Community Association and MBC with suggested minor modifications, and made a recommendation that the NLNDP proceed to referendum.  All the modifications suggested by the Examiner, which are discretionary, have been incorporated into the NLNDP and the final version, attached as Appendix A, is now ready to proceed to referendum.

 

2.4      No further modification or amendments may be made to the NLNDP at this stage and Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 18 requires the publication of a ‘decision statement’ which will be taken to Full Council following the referendum and indicating its result. If the referendum is in favour of the neighbourhood plan, the plan will then be made, that is, adopted as part of the development plan for Maidstone Borough.   

 

2.5      This report comprises the penultimate procedural stage prior to recommendation to Full Council that it approves the NLNDP to proceed to referendum.    

 

3.         AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1      The Committee may or may not recommend that Full Council approves the NLNDP for referendum,

 

 

4.         PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1      The Borough Council is required to assist in the preparation of neighbourhood plans prepared by appropriate bodies, and has been fully involved at all stages of the NLNDP process 

 

 

5.        NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

5.1      Following the approval of recommendation 1. above, there will be a similar report to Full Council which recommends that the NLNDP proceeds to referendum. 

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

No impact on corporate priorities

[Head of Service or Manager]

Risk Management

Completing the requirements of MBC to assist in the preparation of neighbourhood plans according to the Neighbourhood plan Regulations

[Head of Service or Manager]

Financial

No financial implications beyond those covered in previous reports 

[Section 151 Officer & Finance Team]

Staffing

Spatial Policy staff advise on the preparation of neighbourhood plans as required by legislation

[Head of Service]

Legal

This report has been prepared in accordance with the legislation and agreed procedures for the preparation of neighbourhood plans

[Legal Team]

Equality Impact Needs Assessment

None

[Policy & Information Manager]

Environmental/Sustainable Development

Neighbourhood Plans should be prepared in general conformity with the Local Plan and thus promote sustainable; development. 

[Head of Service or Manager]

Community Safety

None

[Head of Service or Manager]

Human Rights Act

None

[Head of Service or Manager]

Procurement

None

[Head of Service & Section 151 Officer]

Asset Management

None

[Head of Service & Manager]

 

6.         REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·               A         North Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan