Neighbourhood Plan
Developing a shared vision for our neighbourhood
A neighbourhood plan is a key part of the Government's localism agenda for Parish Councils to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood. Its aims are to give communities greater power to shape development by taking a more active role in the formation of planning policies at a local level - to choose where they may want new homes, what they should look like and the type of housing to meet their community's current and emerging needs.
It gives local people a chance to create a planning document that guides and shapes all types of development in their local area. It is written by the local community, the people who know and love their area, not the remote Buckinghamshire Council.
An adopted plan is a formal statutory document that is additional to, and not a replacement for, the emerging Buckinghamshire Local Plan.
What can it influence?
- The planning of new homes to meet local needs.
- A powerful tool to ensure the community gets the right types of development in the right places.
- Style and materials used in planning applications.
- Traffic management measures.
- Identify where impacts can be minimised.
- Safe walking routes.
- Continued protection of Green Belt.
What do we want to achieve?
- Protect sensitive landscapes and avoid harm to biodiversity.
- Protect characteristics that set us aside from neighbouring urban areas.
- Ensure that current listed and heritage buildings and areas are protected and not harmed by new developments.
- Identify buildings of designated interest so they are protected from demolition and development.
- Identify and minimise impact to our lanes and residential roads from through traffic.
- Preserve and enhance community facilities.
- Encourage appropriate commercial and retail sites where we want them to be located and contribute to the local economy.
- Identify gaps in the Green Belt that are strategic in protecting our boundaries.
What could happen if we don't?
We are vulnerable to developers using national planning policies to force development onto our community so that they can maximise their profits.
Without a Buckinghamshire Local Plan in place the only way we can have an impact on planning applications is by having an adopted Neighbourhood Plan.
How is the plan is being developed?
The Parish Council is working with a consultancy firm, and all costs have been covered by available grants, minimising the cost to the parish. A team consisting of Parish Councillors and volunteers has been developing the foundation of the plan, looking at policies and how to formalise them into a working document.
Meet the team who have contributed so far
- Trevor Egleton, Buckinghamshire Councillor and former Parish Councillor
- Saera Carter, Parish Councillor
- Mary Crocker, Parish Councillor
- Lee Duncombe, resident
- Rich Huckle, resident
- Bob Crocker, resident
- Harvey Whittam, Chairman of Stoke Poges Historical Society and resident
- Sally Mackey, resident