Our villages, our future, our say:

Regulation 14 Consultation on the draft Neighbourhood Plan

A draft of the Stapleford and Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan is now in place and we’d like to know what you think about it. To do this, Stapleford and Great Shelford Parish Councils are running what, in formal planning terms, is known as a ‘Regulation 14 Consultation’.

What is this all about?

Neighbourhood planning gives communities a role in the development and future of their local area. The Stapleford and Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan does precisely this for our villages. Its vision and planning policies have been co-created by residents and parish councillors and shaped by the community – the people who know and love this area best.

Our 20 planning policies will ultimately carry the same weight as those in South Cambridgeshire District Council’s 2018 Local Plan and will be used when reviewing all planning applications, big and small, coming forward in our area. They span six broad planning topics:

1. housing and the built environment

2. our rural setting and landscape

3. climate change and biodiversity

4. community amenities and infrastructure

5. active travel and traffic management

6. countryside access and enhancement.

What’s happening now?

In previous community consultations, you told us what’s important to you. We listened and learnt; where we hadn’t got things quite right, we tweaked them; and we commissioned (with grant funding) a lot of research. The outcome is a full draft of our Neighbourhood Plan and an extensive evidence base.

Regulation 14 Consultation is now an opportunity for the local community to review and comment on this draft and its supporting documents before it is submitted to Greater Cambridge Shared Planning for independent examination.

Why should I take part?

Our villages and surrounding countryside are under enormous pressure. We cannot stop development but, at a time of great change across our region, a Neighbourhood Plan allows us to say what we want and need from growth. This, then, is your chance to shape where you live and/or work for the better.

How do I take part?

From 11 March 2024, you can view the draft Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents at www.greatshelfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/SGSNPlan or read paper copies at Great Shelford Library.

Then let us know what you think by completing the online feedback form (preferred), or by collecting and returning a paper copy at Great Shelford Library, or by writing to:

• Executive Officer, PO Box 1492, Cambridge, CB1 0YQ

• executiveofficer@greatshelfordparishcouncil.gov.uk.

If for any reason you cannot access the materials or need a copy delivered to your home, call 01223 616622 or email the Executive Officer.

You may comment on as much or as little of the draft Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents as you wish.

When is this happening?

The consultation runs from 9am on 11 March 2024 until 4pm on 30 April 2024. You will see plenty of banners, posters and social media reminders to take part, and every household and business in our parishes should receive a leaflet through their letterbox.

Who can take part?

Anyone who lives, works or runs a business in the Plan area can participate, plus landowners and organisations with an interest in our area. However, we are unable to accept anonymous comments. This is because, later on, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP) will run a final consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan. By participating in the Regulation 14 Consultation, you consent to Stapleford and Great Shelford Parish Councils legally collecting and sharing your contact details with GCSP so it can fulfil its statutory duties. We process personal data in compliance with Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations. Our privacy statement is available to read on our Neighbourhood Plan webpages. [Apologies for all the T&Cs, but it’s important that we are transparent.]

What happens next?

All feedback will be read and may result in changes to the next version of the Neighbourhood Plan. Comments will be published as part of its supporting documents. Names will be anonymised, other than where an individual is commenting on behalf of an organisation.

At the very last stage of the Neighbourhood Plan-making journey and once the Plan has passed examination, it will proceed to a community-wide ‘yes/no’ referendum open to the electorate in both parishes. All being well, we aim to do this in late 2024.

Jenny Flynn

Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan steering group, writing on behalf of Stapleford and Great Shelford Parish Councils

For more information, visit www.greatshelfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/SGSNPlan.

Posted Feb 27 2024