There are no housing sites allocated in the neighbourhood plan area. ‘Brownfield sites”, that is land that has already been developed, can be reused for housing and there may be planning applications for infill sites. This can happen anyway, as it is within the local plan. What the Neighbourhood Plan can do is require any housing that is to be built the area should meet local needs. And it can also require new housing to maintain the character of the area or even enhance it.

No. The Neighbourhood Plan has been created by ordinary residents volunteering their time. The Council’s local plan broadly states what development should happen in the area. The neighbourhood plan gives greater definition to this so that we can ensure any development that goes ahead in our area is done in a way that local people think is most appropriate. There will be regular presentations on progress and consultations with other residents and all business while it is being developed. But the plan is created by our communities’ residents for the benefit of current and future residents.

The Neighbourhood Plan is a vision of how our four communities might develop into the future, but it isn’t a planning application and doesn’t replace normal planning rules. It supplements existing planning policies. If a developer wanted to redevelop an area locally, it would have to conform to our Neighbourhood Plan, once it is adopted. It would have legal standing in the planning process. At present, any comments made by local people on planning applications are considered by the Council but they have no legal status.

It only costs us residents our time. The costs of the website, marketing, meetings and consultancy are all paid for by a government grant. And if we don’t spend the money on time, or on exactly what we have asked the money for - then we have to give it back.