Neighbourhood Plan – Wymondley Parish Council

The Plan

The Wymondley Neighbourhood Plan (the Plan) and all associated documents can be found on the North Herts District Council (NHDC) website at: https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/planning/planning-policy/neighbourhood-planning/approved-neighbourhood-areas-wymondley

Background to the Plan’s development

Wymondley Parish Council worked with a dedicated group of residents to develop the Plan for the Parish.

Those residents, (previously members of the Wymondley Parish Neighbourhood Plan Forum), were formally appointed as members of the Neighbourhood Planning Committee in March 2017, together with Councillor Gil Seller (Chairman).

Having been submitted to NHDC in June 2016, and subsequently been subject to public consultation, in early 2019 the Plan was considered by an independent examiner, Deborah McCann.

Ms McCann held an exploratory meeting on Wednesday 30 January 2019. Representatives of Wymondley Parish Council, its Neighbourhood Planning Committee and NHDC participated in the meeting, which focused on compliance with the Basic Conditions set out in the relevant legislation and the National Planning Policy Framework. The meeting Agenda can be found here: Agenda for Explanatory EiP Meeting and a copy of Ms McCann’s letter is available here: Letter from Examiner re Exploratory Meeting – 3 November 2018

Following discussions at the meeting, Ms McCann decided to suspend the examination to enable the Parish Council, to review and update work on the Basic Conditions Statement; the Consultation Statement; and the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment screening reports. This is explained in her letter of 1 February 2019: Letter from Examiner re Suspension of Examination

Having had sight of the reviewed and updated documents, Ms McCann published her Examination Report: Wymondley Neighbourhood Plan Examiner’s Report (Final) 20 March 2019 It contained a variety of recommended modifications, which she believed needed to be made in order for the Plan to meet the Basic Conditions and enable it to proceed to referendum.

The Report was then considered, (and accepted), by Wymondley Parish Council and a modified version of the Plan was submitted to NHDC on 31 May 2019.

The NHDC officer’s report to the Cabinet, which recommended that the Plan proceed to referendum, can be seen here: NHDC Report To NHDC Cabinet Meeting 11 June 2019

On 11 June 2019, NHDC’s Cabinet considered the Examiner’s Report and the modified Plan and decided that it should proceed to referendum on 29 August 2019. NHDC’s Decision Statement can be seen here: NHDC Wymondley Decision Statement 25 June 2019

The public referendum relating to the adoption of the Plan was held on 29 August 2019, with the result that 93.7% of the 238 people who voted were in favour of it and 16 people against. (There were no rejected ballot papers.) The turn-out was 28.74% of the electorate.

On 26 September 2019, Ian Fullstone (NHDC Service Director – Regulatory) formally took the decision to “make” the Wymondley Neighbourhood Plan. This means it is now part of the statutory development plan for the District and is a material planning consideration when considering development proposals in the Parish of Wymondley.