Bishop' Itchington Neighbourhood Developemnt Plan Referendum
Thursday 19 January 2023
Polling Station - The Memorial Hall, Fisher Road, Bishop's Itchington, CV47 2RE
Opening Times - 7.00am to 10.00pm
What is neighbourhood planning?
Neighbourhood planning was introduced in 2011 and gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. They are able to choose where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have their say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided, and grant planning permission for the new buildings they want to see go ahead. Neighbourhood planning provides a powerful set of tools for local people to plan for the types of development to meet their community’s needs and where the ambition of the neighbourhood is aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area.
Neighbourhood planning is not a legal requirement but a right which communities in England can choose to use.
What are the benefits to a community of developing a neighbourhood plan?
Neighbourhood planning enables communities to play a much stronger role in shaping the areas in which they live and work and in supporting new development proposals. This is because unlike the parish, village or town plans that communities may have prepared, a neighbourhood plan forms part of the development plan and sits alongside the local plan prepared by the local planning authority. Decisions on planning applications will be made using both the local plan and the neighbourhood plan, and any other material considerations.
Neighbourhood planning provides the opportunity for communities to set out a positive vision for how they want their community to develop over the next 10 years in ways that meet identified local need and make sense for local people. They can put in place planning policies that will help deliver that vision or grant planning permission for the development they want to see.
A neighbourhood plan attains the same legal status as a local plan (and other documents that form part of the statutory development plan) once it has been approved at a referendum. At this point it comes into force as part of the statutory development plan. Applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
The Neighbourhood Planning Process within Bishop's Itchington:
A Neighbourhood Planning Group (NPG) was formed in 2013 comprising of local residents and councillors. The consultation process with residents started that year at the Carnival on 4 July. Since this time, consultation has taken place using a variety of channels including meetings, events, leaflets, workshops, social media, local publications and questionnaires. Various residents and councillors have been involved in the process.
The process has included:
• Determining the neighbourhood area,
• Forming a working group,
• Community engagement and involvement,
• Building an evidence base,
• Identifying themes, aims and visions,
• Writing the plan,
• Consultation,
• Amendments to the plan following feedback.
The most recent timetable of events is as follows:
September 2020
• The draft plan compiled.
• Planning consultants, Kirkwells Limited, appointed to professionally produce the plan on behalf of Bishop's Itchington Parish Council.
October 2020
• Draft plan submitted to Stratford District Council for review.
January 2021
• Stratford District Council advised that they have now passed the plan for pre-submission consultation (Regulation 14).
February 2021
• Public consultation to start on 1 February 2021 and will run for 8 weeks.
February 2022
• Submission of the finalised Bishop's Itchington Neighbourhood Development Plan (Regulation 16) to Stratford District Council for approval.
March 2022
• Regulation 16 – Publicising a Plan Proposal
• Public consultation 10th March - 22nd April 2022
August 2022
• Plan examination by the Official Examiner
October 2022
• Post examination and referendum version of the plan submitted to Stratford District Council
November 2022
• Stratford District Council advised that the Plan has been signed off and is ready for referendum,
• Stratford District Council set the date for the referendum - 19 January 2023,
• Polling Cards distributed.
January 2023
• Referendum to be held Thursday 19 January 2023,
• Poll to be held at the Memorial Hall, Fisher Road, Bishop’s Itchington, CV47 2RE,
• Polling station open from 7.00 am to 10.00pm,
• Counting of the votes to take place on Friday 20 January 2023.
It should be remembered that the Neighbourhood Development Plan has been written by people from the village, with input from people in the village, supported by a planning consultant to make sure it’s compliant and robust.
If the majority of those who vote in a referendum are in favour of the draft neighbourhood plan, then the neighbourhood plan must be made by the local planning authority within 8 weeks of the referendum.
A neighbourhood plan comes into force as part of the statutory development plan once it has been approved at referendum. An Order must be made by the local authority before it has effect.
A copy of the proposed Neighbourhood Plan can be viewed using the following link:
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