The neighbourhood planning regime is due to pass an important milestone next week when the first of this new type of plan – for Dawlish in south Devon – reaches its examination stage. The Dawlish Parish Neighbourhood Plan will be examined by an independent inspector on 23 and 24 April.
The plan has been drawn up by a steering group of local representatives and aims to set out the local community’s planning vision for the development of the parish over the next 20 years.
‘Positive changes will help local people of all ages be able to live and work in the area, improve prosperity and well-being, regenerate the town centre, support tourism, and protect valued open space and important nature conservation interests,’ states the published strategy.
It provides for 900 new homes, 270 of which will be affordable, and sets out which sites should be used for new employment activities and a range of community facilities. The proposals are largely in line with Teignbridge District Council’s draft core strategy although some of the locations allocated for residential and employment are different in the neighbourhood plan.
If the inspector approves the plan it will be subject to a local referendum which will decide whether Teignbridge Council has to adopt it. Once adopted it will become part of the local statutory development plan and will form the basis for determining planning applications in the Dawlish Parish area.
In April 2011 Dawlish Parish was selected as one of 17 neighbourhood planning front runners who, led by Local Authorities, were selected to prepare draft neighbourhood plans and Neighbourhood Development Orders.
Meanwhile, in a separate but related development, a conservation body in West London has applied to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to be designated as a neighbourhood forum so it can prepare a neighbourhood plan.
The Norland Conservation Society wants the Norland Conservation Area to be designated as a neighbourhood planning area. The society is thought to be the first in England to apply to be designated as a neighbourhood forum.
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