Published: Thursday 02nd August 2018 | 11.24am
Cannock Chase Council has published its ‘Decision Statement’ for the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan and recommended that it proceeds to referendum.
Following an Independent Examination of the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan, Cannock Chase Council has recommended that the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan proceeds to referendum, subject to modifications.
The Decision Statement sets out that the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan (as modified) meets the basic conditions and other relevant legal requirements (as set out in the Localism Act 2011 and supporting regulations).
Neighbourhood planning aims to help local communities play a direct role in planning for areas in which they live and work.
A Town or Parish Council is responsible for preparing a Neighbourhood Plan. The plan can show how the community wants to shape the development of the local area and when formally adopted it is used to determine planning applications in the relevant Neighbourhood Area. In this case, Hednesford Town Council has produced the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan for the Hednesford Neighbourhood Area (Hednesford Parish).
A Neighbourhood Plan can only be adopted following several stages of public consultation, independent examination and a majority ‘yes’ vote in a referendum of the local electorate (for the relevant Neighbourhood Area). The referendum will ask voters who live in Hednesford parish if they want Cannock Chase District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Hednesford to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area.
Councillor Gordon Alcott, Portfolio Leader for Economic Development and Planning said “The examiner has concluded that subject to modifications the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions and legal requirements and on this basis should proceed to Referendum.”
The ‘decision statement’ and the examiners report are available to view on the Cannock Chase Council website https://www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/residents/planning/planning-policy/neighbourhood-planning or hard copies are available to view at the following locations during normal opening hours:
- Cannock Chase Council Civic Centre offices, Beecroft Road, Cannock, WS11 1BG
- Pye Green Community Centre, Bradbury Lane, Hednesford, Cannock, WS12 4EP
- Hednesford Library, Market Street, Hednesford, WS12 1AD