Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee Minutes 19 January 2019

 

Present: Tim Sheppard (Chair); Jenny Jordan; Barbara Campbell; Chris White and Ian Poole, Consultant.

Apologies: Richard Furlonger.

 

  1. Update on Reports: The Housing Needs Assessment has been completed, is being reviewed internally and should be published in the next few weeks. Further contact needs to be made with Aecom/Locality in order to advance the Design Code for the Parish-it seems we are eligible for the work but the process has stalled. JJ to action, with any necessary input from TS. Once the HNA is complete and the Design Code progressing, we can enquire about Master-planning work, which would look at how any allocated housing site(s) might be configured, bearing in mind housing need; site constraints and the character assessment.

 

  1. An update for Parishioners regarding progress of the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is to be circulated in the form of a leaflet to be prepared by TS. It will contain a brief history of matters to date; an update of events over the last year, using the Aecom/Locality definitions of the various reports, to be collated by JJ; with the title in bold to hopefully grab attention. Mention of the forthcoming consultation workshop should be made. It will be distributed by SC members and willing volunteers as in the past, to be coordinated by CW. The leaflet will then be uploaded onto the Village website.

 

  1. Approval of NP Steering Committee minutes: the draft minutes should be circulated by the note-taker once complete, as soon as possible after the meeting in question and other members will have 2 days to add any comment, make any suggested amendments. The approved minutes will be tabled at the subsequent Parish Council meeting and then uploaded onto the Village website.

 

  1. NP Plan Policy: A discussion took place about the fact the NP will only have weight once it has passed the referendum. Members liked the format and style used in the Elmsett draft NP, which was prepared by IP and his team. It was agreed that the Little Waldingfield NP will adopt the same format and style. A discussion took place regarding potential policies, including a green space policy; housing; a policy to protect the pub. IP (will continue) to draft up a list of potential polices. TS to complete the history section and the part on the natural environment. Consideration to be given to a ‘Special Character Area’ designation for the Holbrook Hall hamlet. The settlement boundary will be defined and used as the basis for housing policy, albeit ensuring it is not overly restrictive in National Planning Policy Framework terms. There was a discussion of the benefits/disbenefits of making a site allocation-in terms of Community Infrastructure Levy receipts-there is not likely to be much greater revenue due the probability new houses may be self-build and thus exempt from CIL.

 

  1. Finance: IP to provide an update on the cost of work completed since the last payment and that to be undertaken over the next few months. Unspent funds from the existing grant need to be returned by the end of the funding year, on 31 March 2019.

 

  1. Next steps: the update leaflet to be completed and distributed next weekend. The next meeting will take place on 23 February 2019, at Appleton House, at 10am.

 

 

Tim Sheppard,

22 January 2019.