The aim of the committee is to navigate the process of developing, and hopefully adopting, a neighbourhood plan in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. This requires careful navigation of a multi-faceted process to ensure that the emerging plan is sustainable and can therefore be included in the wider local development plan.
Neighbourhood planning is generally led by an existing council for a neighbourhood area. In places where no council exists, a community can form a committee based on their own defined boundaries. The important thing is that the committee is representative of the community defined by the boundary of the neighbourhood plan.
This is the second attempt at adopting a neighbourhood plan in Bridge. The first attempt began about six or seven years ago by the parish council at the time. The project progressed but very slowly and eventually got to the examiner review stage. Unfortunately, because it took such a long time records were lost and the rigorous process was not correctly completed.
In February 2019 the current parish council voted to develop a new plan and formed a committee to undertake the process. It consists of all the members of the parish council and the current and former clerk. The committee meets approximately once a month to discuss the progress of the project and ensure required tasks are being assigned and carried out. These meetings are open to the community and involvement in the process is encouraged — anyone wishing to attend is welcomed to partake in the discussions.
The committee aims to ensure that the process is:
- inclusive – offering the opportunity for everyone who lives or works in Bridge to participate
- comprehensive – identifying all the important aspects of life in Bridge for which a plan for the future is needed
- positive – bringing forward proposals to improve the quality of Bridge
If you have any comments or questions for the committee, please follow the link to our contact form.