Neighbourhood Plan
Great Staughton Parish Council has decided to explore the possibility of creating a neighbourhood plan. This is a plan for the neighbourhood area. This can be the Parish area or more than 1 Parish. The Parishes of Grafham and Ellington have recently combined to form a joint plan for those villages.
What is the purpose of such a plan
It provides information which informs planning decisions regarding development proposals.
Why Should the Parish do a plan now
The village plan is now 10 years old and has no influence on planning decisions. The current planning regulations are being relaxed by the Government and if there is no neighbourhood plan in place future planning applications will be subject to less scrutiny. It will more difficult to stop unwelcome development.
If a neighbourhood plan is in place it also makes it more possible for the Parish Council to receive grants like CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy).
If there is a neighbourhood plan it informs Parish Council decision making on community requirements and desires.
The process
Huntingdon District Council (HDC) have to approve the area for the generation of a neighbourhood plan. A group of willing volunteers have to be formed and design a survey for the area (There many examples available to act as a guide). The survey then needs to distributed electronically and on paper to the Parish. The results are then collated. There is grant money to enable this process.
I was wondering if there are residents who would like to help in whatever way in defining, designing, collecting, or collating the information to produce the plan.
If you would like to help or have any queries please contact me
Bob Jewell
07812725680
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