After 3 years of gathering evidence, researching and consulting, a draft version of the Alderley Edge Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) is now available for public consultation.
From today (August 1st) until September 12th, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will be asking residents, businesses and employees, as well as other parties with an interest in the village, to tell them what they think of the draft NDP policies on housing development, car parking, protection of green spaces, the local economy, infrastructure, the local community and more.
The draft NDP includes a draft vision, 7 objectives linked to the key planning themes of the plan and 21 draft policies which have been put together to help deliver sustainable development in Alderley Edge up until 2030.
Sarah Greenwood, Co-Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan group, explained "Neighbourhood Development Plans are a new type of planning policy document, prepared by local residents, to guide new development within the local area. They are used alongside local authority (here, Cheshire East Council) and national planning policy documents, to help determine planning applications. NDPs are powerful tools and present significant opportunities for local people to have a real say in shaping development within their local area."
She added "Alderley Edge is an attractive target location for developers and without robust Plan policies, residents and businesses would forfeit their right to shape the future development of the village. The NDP also addresses residents' concerns over parking, ensuring a strong local economy and maintaining the character of the village."
Click here to view the draft Neighbourhood Plan and complete the online questionnaire.
Alternatively you can attend one of the drop-ins on 13th August and 10th September at Alderley Edge Library from 5pm to 8pm.
Copies of the draft NDP will also be available in the Library and Festival Hall along with questionnaires for your feedback from 1st August to 12th September.
Following the informal public consultation on the draft NDP in August and September, the NDP group will consider all the responses, revise the draft NDP and then publish the final version of the draft NDP for the required 6 week formal consultation later in 2019. Following this the NDP will be further revised and then submitted to Cheshire East Council who will check it and publish it for a further 6 weeks consultation.
The NDP then will be examined by an independent examiner who is likely to recommend further changes before the NDP is subjected to a local referendum within Alderley Edge. If there is a majority Yes vote, the NDP will be adopted by Cheshire East Council and used to help determine planning applications alongside Cheshire East's own planning policies and national policy.
The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group hope to achieve all this and have a Neighbourhood Development Plan in place by mid-2020.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Dues affordable mean low price? If so does that in turn mean that an affordable house will be small?
Are we talking of a two-bed semi with one bathroom, a single kitchen/diner/lounge room, no garage and basic fitments and white goods? Or do people believe that affordable should not mean such a bare-bones approach?
Unless such questions as these are answered, how can any affordable housing be begun?
Secondly the question of where, within the village boundary (as the N. Plan suggests) can affordable housing be provided?
Perhaps the N. Plan could give at least an example?
Preferably land owned by Cheshire East, as 'they' might be open to leasing the land for building affordable housing for a 'peppercorn cost'. Or how about re-visiting the one-time proposed land swap involving the former St. Hilary's playing field?
I know that the Neighbourhood Development Plan team will look forward to any constructive suggestions you may have and will consider your questions through the comprehensive Feedback Form they will provide for you - or that you can download. That is why both the feature above and the one in the Parish Update, being delivered to every household in the Village from today, encourages everyone to 'Have your say'.
The 98 page First Draft is a well produced, comprehensive document. The Neighbourhood Development Team deserve a huge 'thank you' as it has taken enormous amounts of hard work. Once this consultation period is complete in September every response, suggestion and question from hopefully everyone who cares about the future of our Village, will be
carefully considered and the the Plan will be further revised for us all to read. This will happen later this year.
It is vitally important that everyone takes part in giving their reaction and thoughts through the Feedback Form. In my opinion, the issues that you raise deserve careful consideration - but through the Feedback process - not debated here in isolation.
If you look back at my entry above, you will note 3 refenences to the 'Neighbourhood Plan'.
From which it might be deduced that my questions were directed at those very hard-working people, rather than the Parish Council.
Its always welcome to see your joining in of course, albeit "in isolation".
I have read parts of the very long and very thorough 'N. Plan First Draft'. I chose to raise but the one point because of that very length.
Does it really matter as to which forum the citizenry (me) interact with the 'N. Plan' people?
Debate is always good?
Cheers.
Affordability (in general terms) is relative, however, in the context of subsidised housing provision it is clearly defined as follows.....
https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7747