Alderley Edge Parish Council believes the village needs a Neighbourhood Plan so it can retain its special character and avoid being swallowed up by urban sprawl.
Neighbourhood Plans allow communities to say what they want their priorities to be over the next 15 years and once completed they have the power of the law.
Planning Officers will refer to Neighbourhood Plans when considering planning applications for new developments in and around the village, which means they can have a real and positive impact on our village's future.
In order that everyone can have a say in it, the plan needs to be driven by the people of the village, not just the Parish Council. Hence a public meeting is being held on Wednesday, 21st September starting at 7.30pm at Alderley Edge School for Girls for anyone who would like to play a part, or just wants to find out more about Neighbourhood Plans.
Some of the questions that need to be answered include:
- How many new houses should be built and what type of houses?
- Should some be reserve as 'affordable houses'?
- How do we protect our green spaces?
- How do we protect the heritage and character of the village?
- What can we do to improve roads and car parking?
- What amenities will we need to provide for young families?
- How will we cope with an ageing population?
- What can we do to protect and grow the local economy?
Many villages have already already taken up the challenge and started on their own plans.
Councillor Christine Munro explained "The themes for the plan have been selected, see below, and now it is a question of asking local residents to join with us to produce it. The object of the meeting is start this process off.
"Each theme has a councillor as its facilitator and I have put their names beside the themes they have selected."
The proposed themes are: Managing Housing and Development (Myles Garbett, Ilana Higham), Protecting Green Spaces (Mike Dudley Jones), Preserving Heritage and Character (Geoff Hall), Improving Infrastructure (Craig Browne, Mike Taylorson), Promoting Community Wellbeing (Christine Munro) and Supporting the Local Economy (Rachael Grantham).
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Once the 'look at' is complete, may there be a plan/document that we of the hoi polloi will be able to read?
Will such a document include details of costings?
What/how much will the government and/or local authority pay towards the full cost?
Will any costings include details of possible costs, if the thing goes bottoms up? (the last time I looked, there could be a (very) worse case scenario of a £60,000 cost to the locality; that's the pockets of thee 'n me gentle reader).
Those of you with longish memories will recall that some people put a lot of time and effort into formulating a 'Parish Plan'; which the government eventually kicked into touch.
What is meant by the above 'Planning Officers will refer to Neighbourhood Plans' ?
Will such a Plan have some sort of legal binding upon said Officers? Or will the Planning Officers go their own merry way as per usual?
What might happen in a case where it is wealthy developer versus Neighbourhood Plan?
I'm not in any way against looking at the possibilities, but unless 'facts' rather than 'optimism' is to the fore, we could be in a problematical position. You may forgive my cynicism?
Of the 8 bullet points listed above; haven't 'we' been grappling with many of them already?
Good Luck Guys.
Thank you for your comments and I am so pleased you are interested in finding our more about the Alderley Edge Neighbourhood Plan. As it says in the article the kick off meeting is on the 21st at Alderley Edge School for Girls. We look forward to seeing you there when all your questions and concerns will be answered and we will all be able to work together to get this on the road. This is our chance to have our say, we mustn't miss it.
I'm glad you are aboard for this; i/c I hope.
As Napoleon (or was it Lenin) said, 'On s'engage et puis on voit.
Pretentious? Moi ?