Please use the following link to access our Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/StoneleighandAshow

Stoneleigh and Ashow Parish Council have agreed to produce a Neighbourhood Plan (NP). Neighbourhood Planning is the transfer of planning powers from local planning authorities to the neighbourhood level.

It is an opportunity for local communities to write planning policies that will be used to determine planning applications in the Parish. The policies will add local detail whilst still being in general conformity with strategic planning policies.

Having a neighbourhood plan affords additional protection against, often unwanted, speculative development and helps to protect locally important buildings and open spaces. It can add a local aspect to everything that requires planning permission and helps
make sure that planning applications are determined according to locally important criteria rather than district-wide priorities. It also provides an opportunity to look at infrastructure requirements locally. The process undertaken can enhance local democracy and give communities a ‘seat at the table’ when important development projects are being considered.

A Neighbourhood Plan can take around two years to conclude. Once the NP is in draft form it needs to be sent out for a six-week pre-submission consultation prior to formal approval and submission to the local planning authority (Warwick District Council). WDC will then organise a six-week consultation before passing the NP and all comments received to an independent examiner.

Once the examiner has reported and made recommendations, the plan will be subject to a referendum of all local residents on the electoral register.

The final stage after passing referendum is for WDC to formally 'make' the plan. At this point it will sit alongside the local plan and carry equal weight in the determination of planning applications locally.

The average cost of producing a neighbourhood plan is about £14,000 and much if not all of this is covered by grant funding. An organisation called Locality is the government’s agency for supporting neighbourhood plans and their website is a
useful source of information and resources http://locality.org.uk

Our next meeting is on 27th April 2023 at 7pm, to be held at Stoneleigh Village hall. Please join us if you can, this is your opportunity to help shape the Neighbourhood Plan for Stoneleigh and Ashow Parish.