Minutes

5        SCAWBY PARISH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – The Director: Economy and Environment submitted a report advising the Cabinet Member that Scawby Parish Council had applied to have its area formally designated for the purpose of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan, and seeking approval for Scawby Parish Council’s application for Neighbourhood Area Status.

The Localism Act 2011 introduced new opportunities for communities to get involved in planning their areas by preparing neighbourhood plans, neighbourhood development orders and community right to build orders.  The Act and associated neighbourhood planning regulations gave town/parish councils and neighbourhood forums powers to shape and encourage delivery of new development.

Before a town/parish council or neighbourhood forum could begin the work of preparing a neighbourhood plan they must apply to have the area they wish the plan to cover to be formally designated.  Scawby Parish Council submitted an application to the council on 22 February 2022 to have the whole parish formally designated with the intention of starting work on a neighbourhood plan.  The application was included at Appendix 1 to the report, together with a map showing the extent of the area at Appendix 2.

The council was responsible for receiving and determining applications for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area.  The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 explained the requirements for the determination of a Neighbourhood Area application.

Part (1) of Section 5A of the amended Neighbourhood Planning Regulations removed the requirement to consult on an area application in certain circumstances.  These circumstances included where the neighbourhood area consists of the whole of the town/parish council area and where none of the neighbourhood area extends outside the town/parish council area.  Part (2) of Regulation 5A stipulated that the local planning authority must exercise their powers under section 61G of the 1990 Act to designate the specified area as a neighbourhood area.

The local planning authority was obliged by law to help people as they prepared their neighbourhood plans and was under a duty to support such communities.  In order to raise awareness and explain the neighbourhood planning process a representative of the Place Planning team met with the Parish Council prior to submission of their application.

Resolved – (a) That the report be noted, and (b) that the approach set out in Option 1 at paragraph 4.1 of the report, to designate Scawby Parish Council for Neighbourhood Area status, be approved.