This page carries reports of the progress of the Parish Council and the Working & individual Focus Groups in the development of a Neighbourhood Plan.
We will keep you informed through these pages of developments and information as the project develops.
Please visit these pages reqularly if you are interested in how allowing the Piddle Valley Community to have a say in the shaping of it's future will affect you.
Contents:
The new working party, with several new faces, has begun to meet to talk about the way ahead.
The current members and the the various Focus Groups they are involved with are listed on the Working Group Membership page.
The main subjects for study are confirmed and focus groups have been created to take each aspect forward by looking at the experiences of residents and talking to them about the way they see the future character of the Valley settlements develop in the next 10-15 years. We shall be present at the various village meetings to listen to the local points raised by residents and discuss any concerns they may have in more detail. This is an essential part of the process of information gathering for the Neighbourhood Plan.
So far we have four or five people in each of these focus groups so if you feel able to join them, we would welcome your help. Please contact the Working Group Chairman John Browning on 01300 348981 or email npchair@piddlevalley.info
The next planned meetings are:-
On 31 January 2012 it was decided to set up a working group to determine whether the Piddle Valley would benefit from a Neighbourhood Plan. This culminated in a public presentation at the school. Following this the community were invited to complete a short questionnaire (which was also available as a pullout section in the News & Views) to decide whether they felt Piddle Valley should develop a Neighbourhood Plan. 113 questionnaires were returned, 81 in favour, 31 against with one spoiled vote. This represented 11.3% of the electoral roll. There were also 37 offers of help.
Following the vote the Working Group presented their full report to the Parish Council at the meeting on 4th December 2012. There was some concern about the small number of votes and it was obvious from the comments received that the benefits and advantages of Neighbourhood Planning had not been fully understood. To clarify a few points:
The Working Group has realised that preparing a Neighbourhood Plan is a lengthy and difficult task and there have been differing views among the group. It's up to the community to decide what subjects to include - it can be as simple or complex as you wish.
The following are a few focus points which could be included:
There will be another open meeting at the Piddle Valley First School at 7.30pm on Thursday 24th January 2013 to discuss the next stage and the subjects to include in the Plan. The Parish Council hope that as many people as possible will attend and support their Neighbourhood Plan. In order for the project to go ahead and succeed we need local support - please try and come along to the meeting with your thoughts and ideas.
Piddle Valley Parish Council
It had become clear to the PC that the Parish Plan, which was started in 2008 but never completed because of subsequent changes to the planning requirements, would be an important starting point from which to prepare any Neighbourhood Plan because of the amount of detailed research which had already been undertaken into the needs and aspirations of the Valley Community.
This has now been completed and a copy of the Parish Plan can be viewed here.
As part of the work to determine the feasibility of establishing a Neighbourhood Plan, the Working Party undertook a short study of Enterprise Park, Piddlehinton as a means of better understanding the activities undertaken there and to ascertain the priorities and concerns of the Owners and Tenants.
The Enterprise Park, Piddlehinton, report 2012 can be read by clicking on the link.
Following the very well attended Localism and Neighbourhood Plan exhibition at Piddle Valley First School on Saturday 13th October, may we remind everyone that the Parish Council needs you to indicate whether you wish them to proceed with the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan, or to retain the status quo.
If nothing is done, then future planning decisions that affect the Valley will be taken by the District Council as they see fit. If the Valley has it's own Neighbourhood Plan, which sets out our wishes for things we both do and do not wish to see occur, then the District Council have to take those views into account in reaching their decision.
The Plan will take a lot of time and work to prepare, including further consultations, and must eventually be approved by a referendum of the Valley residents. It is important therefore for the PC to know that there is support in principle for the work involved.
Please "vote" on this by leaving at the Post Office, by the 16th November 2012, the completed questionnaire from the exhibition. If you do not have the questionnaire, please ask at the Post Office or contact John Cox on 348454.
The Localism Act allows local communities to play a more positive role in planning decisions by drawing up a Neighbourhood Plan which may include specific policies to meet the needs of our particular community but which are not included in the present Local Plan. However, these have to be in line with the general strategy of the District Council. This new procedure could also accelerate the planning process.
The scope of a Neighbourhood Plan is not restricted to building development. It may involve issues such as business, employment, transport, local amenities, tree planting and renewable energy.
The Working Group has now met on 5 occasions and members have attended presentations by West Dorset District Council and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
They have also benefited from the help of Cerne Valley Parish Council who have been one of the front runners in the implementation of their Neighbourhood Plan within West Dorset.
From this experience it has become clear that there are still a number of uncertainties about the Neighbourhood Plan concept, not least over the questions of the cost of such an exercise, the specialist skills required and the amount of hard work involved.
On the other hand, some issues have become very clear to the group, such as the need to identify the particular needs of the local community and to produce a practical working plan for local people to use over the next decade.
It is vital that all who live and work in the Piddle Valley can play an active part in shaping its future by expressing their views. To this end there will be a Public presentation on the Neighbourhood Plan on Saturday 13th October 2012 at Piddle Valley First School, followed by a chance for everyone to have their say on the possible way forward.
Further details of the event will be given in the Jul/Aug '12 issue of News & Views, but please put the date in your diaries now!
Localism was discussed at the Piddle Valley Parish Council Meeting on 31st January. Councillors questioned what was involved, what was possible and what was required of the Council. Chairman John Cox informed all of the impact and opportunity that Localism offered in the Piddle Valley. Councillors were concerned on the timescale to produce a Neighbourhood Plan, were they required to do so, how it could be achieved, what it would constitute. They concluded they needed time to familiarise themselves with the Localism Act.
District Councillor Jacqui Cuff explained why the Localism Bill was so important now and into the future and outlined how the community could help shape their settlements and environments. She pointed out that, unlike many other areas, the Piddle Valley was very fortunate in having the Piddle Valley Design Statement. This document had been accepted by West Dorset District Council and can be used as a basis from which to move forward, and expanded to control the planning of our infrastructure and environment for the future.
Councillor Cuff used an example of an application for a new dwelling on a farm site in Plush which, under current regulations, would be automatically refused. Under Localism, if there was support for an application for a new building, restoration of existing, removal and clearance of unsightly and dangerous buildings on this site, and it was included in the Piddle Valley Neighbourhood Plan, then a planning application could be considered for approval.
Councillor Cox invited those attending to contribute to the discussion. Peter Chance, who represents CPRE, attended the Cerne Abbas presentation when they reported on their progress as a Neighbourhood Plan Trial Area (see Jan/Feb 2012 PVNV ). He stressed the importance of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan in offering the opportunity for the community to play a far greater role in the development of many aspects of Valley life. John Browning, who had been part of the Working Group producing the Piddle Valley Design Statement, suggested looking at the helpful guide on the Communities and Local Government website.
After further discussion on the structure of a Piddle Valley Neighbourhood Plan, the expertise needed and involvement of Councillors, it was accepted that the Parish Council would set up a Neighbourhood Plan Working Group to develop the Piddle Valley Design Statement. Councillor Cox welcomed their confirmation that such a group would be willing to set out a structure to go forward so the matter can be discussed at the next meeting. It was stressed that the Working Group would involve at least 2 or 3 Councillors, have direct contact with all the villages and involve specific expertise and skill throughout the Valley.
Neighbourhood Planning is one of the 5 key measures in the Localism Act and gives communities, for the first time, 'a new way for communities to decide the future of the places where they live and work', 'a real voice in the look and feel of development in their area'. My personal request to each and every one of you is ask that you investigate what this means for you as an individual and for your community as a whole. Consider especially the potential impact on your future and the future of your family. Do you live adjacent to a patch of land that is ripe for development? Do you have an aspiration for a future enterprise in your area? What services do you think your community would benefit from? What do you want to preserve - is there a particular building, landmark or area you feel is important? Can you identify areas that need improvement or could be better utilised? Please become engaged in the process by making your thoughts and views known, these will make up the pieces of the whole jigsaw that will become the statutory planning document for your area.
Jacqui Cuff
There is also an article by Peter Chance in the January 2012 issue of News & Views explaining the importance of the Localism Act, how it may affect us in the valley and how we may affect it! It is well worth reading.
