We have been working with the Parish Council on its first neighbourhood plan since early 2021. One task is to plan for the future use of the existing community hall, which will be replaced by a new, larger facility later this year on a site nearby. The Council owns the site and is using the plan to engage the local community in deciding how best to use this land asset.

 

Having worked on them in the past, we advised the Council that bringing forward the proposals through a Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) would have some advantages. Provided the NDO was prepared at the same time as the plan it would release additional grant to enable the preparation of a feasibility study, including designed options, to inform the engagement activities throughout the project. The community would then get the chance to vote on it alongside the plan and, if backed, the Council would be able to sell the site on with planning permission.

 

The Council appointed us to prepare the feasibility study, which is now underway. We are able to benefit from our existing knowledge of the village through the plan and to seamlessly stitch in the NDO work to the main project. It is hoped both the plan and NDO will be submitted for examination in the autumn 2021.