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Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; REFERENDUM 27th FEBRUARY 2019

NOTICE OF POLL AND SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS HERE

COMMUNITY BRIEFING HERE

Here are the final documents for the Malborough Neighbourhood Plan:

• Malborough Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2034 HERE
• Basic Conditions Statement HERE
• Plan Appendices HERE
• Consultation Statement HERE
• Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Report HERE
• Principle Residence Addendum HERE
• SEA Environmental Report HERE
• SEA Scoping Report HERE
• SEA Addendum HERE

Full information including the examiners report and details on voting procedure (including Postal/Proxy voting forms) can be found HERE

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing January-February 2018

We’re still here!  In fact we’re over the finishing line – the first one that is!  A year later than intended but with more ‘must-do’ boxes ticked as the Neighbourhood Planning process wends its seemingly endless and bureaucratic way to the end.  To recap:

In 2014, using questionnaires and drop in sessions, we asked you what you wanted Malborough to look like in 20 years’ time, what your priorities were for investment and what type of new housing should be built in the village, where that should be and for whom?  Using all this information we then produced a Parish Plan, ran a Call for Sites exercise in 2015 and, from that, generated Site Options and held another public consultation.  In 2016 we produced the 1st draft of the Neighbourhood Plan for Malborough and we asked you what you thought about it (this stage was known as Regulation 14 of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012).  Fully intending to finish the rewrite in 2017 we were then delayed as ‘due process’ demanded that we had to do a full Strategic Environmental Assessment.  Previously we had understood that SHDC would be running a screening process for this for us and that they did not anticipate a need for a full study.  We also had to liaise with both English Heritage and the Conservation team at SHDC to assess the impact of any development supported in the Plan on our listed sites. 

Unfortunately because of this delay events have sort of caught up with us in that there is now an application in for outline planning for a major development within the Parish.  We have made every effort, to date, to liaise with the potential developers and influence their design brief but until our Plan is actually ‘made’ it has little legal standing.

From where we are (we have submitted the Plan to SHDC which ticks the box for Regulation 15 of the process) to a Plan being ‘made’ entails some critique/validation of our Plan by SHDC, followed by a submission to an Independent Examiner which may give rise to some requests for change or clarification of policies.  Finally it comes back to the Village for you to say Yes or No in a referendum.    If you say Yes the Plan can then be ‘made’ and it then becomes a statutory planning document and one that developers and the planners at South Hams HAVE to take into account when determining the fate of any planning application in the Parish.  SHDC tell us that this could take upwards of 40 weeks.  However we may experience ‘hiccups’ along the way; our Plan includes policies which, whilst not in conflict with those of the District, may not necessarily be supported by the Local Authority.  We have opted to ‘stick to our guns’ in that what our Plan contains is evidenced by what the village wants!  Your feedback from the Regulation 14 consultation tells us this.  It is a Local Plan to fulfil Local Need and meet Local aspirations. Villagers - you/we/us! -  are hugely supportive of affordable housing for local people but not to meet wider, unmet need across the District.  Furthermore the drive is for a sustainable community, not one diluted by a disproportionate supply of second homes.  To this end, there are policies in our Neighbourhood Plan that aim to achieve this.  It is hoped that these underlying tensions between Local and District aspirations will not derail what is a well evidenced Plan developed by and for the people of Malborough.

So on we go – there is now a suite of documents awaiting action by SHDC before they are sent on for Independent Examination.  As soon as we have feedback from South Hams we will make these available on the website and we will have some hard copies to hand too.  Have a look on the village website (http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/) where we will aim to keep you up to date with progress and maybe, just maybe, we will have an adopted Plan by the end of 2018! 

Malborough’s Neighbourhood Planning Forum January 2018

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Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing April/May 2017

The rewrite continues but we have now learnt that we are expected to do a full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).  Previously we had understood that SHDC would be running a screening process for this for us and that they did not anticipate a need for a full study.  We also have to liaise with both English Heritage and the Conservation team at SHDC to assess the impact of any development supported in the Plan on our listed sites.  Both these projects are likely to delay us a further 2 months or so but the work continues as other paperwork is completed necessary for the final submission.  A slow and tortuous process but, hopefully, worth it at the end if we have a Plan that can help us determine our destiny more than we could without it!   

As before details of the full plan can be found on the village website (http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/) and hard copies of the draft are still available by request to a Parish Councillor.     Remember our Plan aims to ensure that:

Malborough’s Neighbourhood Planning Forum March 2017

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing Feb/March 2017

Thank you to those that got involved in the consultation on the draft Plan.  Slowly we are collating these responses and will rewrite/redraft as necessary before the final Plan is submitted to SHDC.  That is not the end though!  We then have to add various other pieces of evidence as to how the Plan evolved and show how it meets the thrusts of the National Planning Policy Framework.  Thereafter it has to be independently examined before, ultimately, coming back to the Parish for a referendum in a yes or no vote.  A long and tortuous haul/journey to get there but, if successful, we still believe it helps us determine our destiny more than we could without it. 

As before details of the full plan can be found on the village website (http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/) and hard copies of the draft are still available by request to a Parish Councillor.     Remember our Plan aims to ensure that:

Here is the link to the Pre-Submission Consultation Draft of Malborough's Neighbourhood Plan. The Consultation runs from 8th October 2016 to 19th November.  Please see below for how you can get involved and make comments.  Thank you

This is the link to the draft Appendices of the Plan as at 8th October.

PRE-SUBMISSION CONSULTATION

FOR THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

DROP IN SESSION

OCTOBER 18TH 2016

TUESDAY 4PM – 8PM

THE ANNEXE

MALBOROUGH VILLAGE HALL

YOUR CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT PLAN

Parish Councillors & members of the Neighbourhood Planning Forum will be there to answer questions and discuss the draft Plan with you.

.....and again on 17th November at the Annexe from 16.00 to 19.00 hours

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Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing Sept/Oct 2016

Villagers should be aware that the draft Malborough Neighbourhood Development Plan is now entering its pre-submission consultation phase.  This consultation will run from 8^th October to 19^th November 2016.

The aim of the consultation is to “enable the Steering Group (the Neighbourhood Planning Forum) to become aware of things that they may have unintentionally got wrong, areas that need to be expressed differently, improved, expanded upon, but most importantly, to flush out contentious issues now, rather than when the Plan has been submitted to the District Council prior to your chance to vote (the referendum)”.

From early October details of the full plan can be found on the village website (http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/), with hard copies in the Post Office, the Village Hall, in reception at Follaton House (SHDC) and by request to a Parish Councillor.   The document is wide ranging and covers housing, employment, design, open spaces, the environment, heritage and community facilities, transport and infrastructure.  As a document it sits alongside the previously published Parish Plan and Evidence Brief (published 2014).  The past 3 years have seen regular briefings and opportunities to get involved with drop-ins, questionnaires and consultations.  This issue of the Messenger carries the draft ‘Executive Summary’ section of the Plan. 

Given that this short article cannot cover all aspects of the draft Plan you are advised to - and asked to - study it both in general and site specific terms; and then comment, should you so wish to. 

Comments can be made via the comments page for Neighbourhood Planning on the village website, by hard copy to any Councillor, or by using the collection box at the Post Office. Comments can also be made by email to: malboroughparishcouncil@btinternet.com Comments need to be made and received by Saturday 19^th November. 

Malborough In Touch and Village Voice (South Hams Gazette) will also carry briefings and links to the draft Plan and an editorial/press release is being prepared for the Gazette.  There will be a DROP IN session for Parishioners to come and ask questions and look at the Plan on October 18^th at the Annexe, Malborough Village Hall from 16.00 to 20.00 hours.  Parish Councillors and members of the Neighbourhood Planning Forum will be there to discuss this draft Plan with you. 

Neighbourhood Planning aims to give local communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development of their local area.  It provides a powerful set of tools for local people to ensure that they get the right types of development for their community where the ambition of the neighbourhood is aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area.  SHDC do not, currently, have a 5 year land supply in place.  Their Joint Local Development Plan is also in draft.  Until this latter Plan is adopted across South Hams and West Devon this Parish remains more vulnerable to the wishes of developers rather than those of villagers.

Recapping (from the last Messenger) the SHDC consultation on their over-arching Joint Local Plan (the strategic vision for the District but planned jointly with Plymouth City and West Devon) ended on 12^th August.  By over-arching we mean that this gives us the policy framework within which we have to operate.  Their plan quantifies the number of new homes needed across the whole of the South hams, West Devon and Plymouth catchment and where that development should take place.  For us the headline figures are that the 52 villages that make up the South Hams (ie: excluding our towns and larger population centres) are said to need 700 new homes in the twenty year period 2014-2034.  That is 35 houses a year or less than one house per village per year.  This Joint Plan goes onto say that Neighbourhood Plans (of which we are one!) will be responsible for delivering this 700 target.  However if a Parish does not have a Plan  or does not identify sufficient land to accommodate the new housing it needs then decisions will be made at District as to where development will take place.  Remember our Plan aims to ensure that:

Thus our Neighbourhood Plan remains key in determining our own destiny.  The life of the Plan has to match that of SHDC’s Plan so the twenty years now runs from 2014 (yes, back dated!) to 2034.  For us this means that houses built from 2014 to date (ie: Alston Gate) count towards the number of new houses we might be expected to deliver.  Similarly by having our own plan we are able to quantify exactly what we think the Parish needs, when it needs it, and where. 

Malborough is growing.  How, when and where it grows is down to you.  This Neighbourhood Plan sets out a blueprint for the future.  You can vote for it, a YES vote or against, a No vote[1].  If it is not adopted by the Parish then normal National Planning Policies apply.   It does not and cannot seek to circumvent National Policy but it can, and does, add to it.  We want any development to be of the right type in the right place at the right time and for the right reason.  

This Plan quantifies the number and the types of housing Malborough needs now to meet LOCAL need.  It allocates land for development – PORTLEMORE DOWNS - and identifies future reserve sites (PORTLEMORE DOWNS PHASE 2 and WITHYMORE FARM BEHIND THE CHURCH) that have the potential to be developed should there be further proven need.  This Plan incorporates detailed Planning policies. All come together in a report that, should you give it a YES vote, becomes a statutory Planning document; one that Planning Authorities have to take into account when future Planning decisions are made. 

Malborough has always embraced change yet retained its sense of community: it is the management of that change that is of utmost importance to the Villagers.  This Plan is EVIDENCE BASED.  You were asked, you were consulted and you were listened to.  Inevitably there were differences of opinion, and in an ideal world, perhaps most of us would like Malborough to stay as it is.  However the status quo is not an option and this Plan tries to ensure that Malborough is fit for the future, that we – the Parishioners - have a real say in how it develops as a village, a community and a Parish.  Currently Malborough is a balanced community with well over 80% of our houses in permanent occupation (in stark contrast to surrounding settlements).  A supply of cheaper housing has enabled young families to live in the village.  This is a balance we wish to ensure for the future with local Planning policies. This Plan is also underpinned by projects and aspirations that you have identified, set out in our appended EVIDENCE BASE and adopted PARISH PLAN.

In summary this Plan delivers our Vision:  “In 2034 Malborough will CONTINUE TO be a vibrant, growing and prosperous community.  It will have a balanced demographic of young people, working families and the elderly and retired.  THERE IS AN ASPIRATION THAT More than 90% of the housing stock will remain as permanent homes and these will be affordable, and accessible, to the local community (with reference to the average local wage).  Local employment opportunities and services will be encouraged whilst the rural character of the village and its surroundings will be protected.  Malborough will continue to provide and develop diverse leisure and recreational activities to ensure a happy, healthy and diverse community.” 

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FINALLY: Malborough’s Plan will shortly be available in draft.  Apologies but it is not the most riveting of reads in that any Neighbourhood Plan, once made, forms part of the statutory Local Development Plan for the area and therefore needs to contain policies against which development proposals will be considered.  These policies provide, we hope, a clear indication of how a decision maker (ie: SHDC as our Planning authority) should react to a development proposal.

We, the Forum, have tried to include supporting text that explains the intention behind the policies but realise that many people will not have the time or inclination to read this detailed document in full (along with the previously published EVIDENCE BASE & PARISH PLAN.)  The Executive Summary (above) is thus a concise version of the Plan that sets out the aims, main themes and general direction of policy.

Once we have your feedback the Plan will be submitted to SHDC.  South Hams District Council is then responsible for checking that the submitted Neighbourhood Plan has followed the proper legal process.  SHDC subsequently publicise the Plan (with another six week consultation) and organise an independent examination.  The District Council also arrange your chance to vote - the referendum. This Neighbourhood Plan, if adopted by you the Parishioners of Malborough, gives the Parish a greater say over its future.  The process to get here has been long and tortuous and consultation fatigue has to be a real concern as we head towards the finishing line. 

However it is YOUR FUTURE/YOUR VOICE/YOUR PLAN: please take the time to consider it now and let us have your comments.

Thank you!  

Malborough’s Neighbourhood Planning Forum September 2016

PRE-SUBMISSION CONSULTATION

FOR THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

DROP IN SESSION

OCTOBER 18TH 2016

TUESDAY 4PM – 8PM

THE ANNEXE

MALBOROUGH VILLAGE HALL

YOUR CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT PLAN

Parish Councillors & members of the Neighbourhood Planning Forum will be there to answer questions and discuss the draft Plan with you.

.....and again on 17th November at the Annexe from 16.00 to 19.00 hours

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing July/August 2016

This Neighbourhood Plan appears to be like a boomerang – we write, we draft, we correct, we send our ‘homework’ into be marked (by officers at South Hams more versed in writing planning policies that stand up to inspection and independent examination) and back it comes ready for another draft.   But, despite the cynicism, we progress and our Plan is getting there. The input and feedback being received from the SHDC strategic planning team is to ensure that the planning policies we write are legal and enforceable but, increasingly, we are being discouraged from setting tighter policies as these are said to conflict with SHDC priorities or the National Planning Framework.   What we are actually able to achieve in the end remains to be seen; we continue to try to ensure that Malborough is only open to development that is needed for local people. 

SHDC have now launched their consultation on the over-arching Joint Local Plan (the strategic vision for the District but planned jointly with Plymouth City and West Devon).  By over-arching we mean that this gives us the policy framework within which we have to operate.  Their plan aims to quantify the number of new homes needed across the whole catchment and where that development should take place.  For us the headline figures are that the 52 villages that make up the South Hams (ie: excluding our towns and larger population centres) are said to need 700 new homes in the twenty year period 2014-2034.  That is 35 houses a year or less than one house per village per year. 

This Joint Plan goes onto say that Neighbourhood Plans (of which we are one!) will be responsible for delivering this 700 target.  However if a Parish does not have a Plan  or does not identify sufficient land to accommodate the new housing it needs then decisions will be made at District as to where development will take place.  Remember our Plan aims to ensure that:

If you wish to comment on the SHDC Joint Local Plan then their consultation runs until 5pm on 12^th August 2016.  Visit their website at http://www.southhams.gov.uk or email your response to mailto:Strategic.Planning@swdevon.gov.uk or write to Follaton House.

Thus our Neighbourhood Plan remains key in determining our own destiny although our timetable has slipped a bit as we have to now align more of our plan to this Joint Local Plan (we need to use the same reference years for estimating population figures for example).  The life of the Plan also has to match so the twenty years now runs from 2014 (yes, back dated!) to 2034.  Actually this is an advantage for us since it means that houses built from 2014 to date (ie: Alston Gate) count towards the number of new houses we might be expected to deliver.  Similarly by having our own plan we are able to quantify exactly what we think the Parish needs, when it needs it, and where, so this has to be worth persevering with.  The potential developers of Portlemore Downs continue to be in pre-application talks with SHDC planners but they are also liaising with us and we have been hugely encouraged, so far, that they have listened to what we have had to say and are trying to align any possible development to what our emerging Neighbourhood Plan requires.   Remember if we don’t engage then we cannot influence what might happen. 

So on we go - again, still, notwithstanding, nonetheless, in spite of etc. etc.  More information can be found on the village website at http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/  and volunteers are always welcome.

Malborough Neighbourhood Planning Forum: July 2016

Link to Malborough's Housing Need Survey

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing May/June 2016

In April we included a long piece about the results of the public consultation, which considered potential site options within the Parish for future housing developments.  This means we are at the stage where, having got a Parish Plan, an evidence base, a current housing survey and a mandate from the village re. site options we can out pen to paper.  We have!  We now have a draft plan which members of the Forum are currently fine tuning.  We are also receiving guidance from officers at South Hams more versed in writing planning policies that stand up to inspection and independent examination.  It has to be said it is not a pithy or a riveting read but it does set out what we want as a village, when we want it and where we want it!  

For Malborough’s Annual Parish meeting and, again, at the last Parish Council meeting, Cllr Yeoman summarised the Neighbourhood Plan progress for the year by saying:

“A great deal has been done in the last year to develop the Plan for Malborough Parish. This has involved a lot of work from the team managed by Debbie.

We have tried to work what we wanted as a village and where we would like development to take place.

We put out a call for sites for possible development and had a number offered. All these were evaluated by a technical group and three were deemed possible. Those were the ones put before the village in the Church on March 7^th.

As reported in the latest Messenger there were a wide selection of views for and against all the sites, but the majority were in favour of the site below Malborough Park, Portlemore Downs.  But the strong view from the consultation was any site had to deliver what the Parish wants at a time when it needs it, go a long way in meeting the design and build aspirations of the Parish and address the major concerns of parishioners about the impacts of a new build scheme.

Since the consultation representatives of the NP forum, our District Councillors and SHDC planners met with the agents of the Portlemore site. They are keen to do something but we set out what the village wants for a development in line with the result of the consultation and the feedback we have had from the village. They were polite and listened and made copious notes but did not comment so we shall see what happens when they come back the next time.

Now we are pulling the plan together, writing all the policies which when finished will go out to village for consultation. Before being inspected and then come back to the Parish for a referendum.”

This aptly sums up work to date… as above members of the MNP Forum have now met with the agents for Portlemore Downs.  Remember they were already in pre-application talks with SHDC and could just proceed to an application for planning permission regardless of our emergent Neighbourhood Plan; by being pro-active and opening the door for discussion we hope to have more influence on the outcome.

So on we go, hopefully by the time of the next Messenger there will be a draft plan out with you for comment and feedback.

Malborough Neighbourhood Planning Forum May 2016

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan; Community Briefing March/April 2016

Malborough recently (March 7^th 2016) held a Public Consultation in the Parish.  This considered potential site options to allocate for housing. We have a viable choice of 3 suitable sites for development to meet our immediate needs.  Over 100 people came through the doors to discuss these site options; thank you for giving up your time and sharing both your concerns and ideas.  It was very gratifying to see that interest is growing and, whilst there were many who had very real issues with some or all of the sites, a clear mandate did result from the exercise. 

The consultation has given Malborough’s Neighbourhood Planning Forum a mandate to recommend Portlemore Downs as its’ preferred option in the Neighbourhood Plan.  The referendum date for the plan is 30^th November 2016.  The referendum can give a Yes or No vote to the adoption of the plan.

The table below gives the detailed results from the Site Options for Housing Consultation.  All comments received are also shown. 

Site 1 - PORTLEMORE DOWNS

1. Careful planning – access and traffic
2. Better road access than the other two options
3. Great Park is the option
4. Collaton Road TOO busy and Portlemore Lane traffic would make the village horrendous!!!
5. Collaton Road too busy already.  Sewer can’t cope.  Don’t need to look at 60 houses from my front garden.  Great Park has a sewer.
6. This site is far too big.  Local plan/comment said SMALL new projects – this could turn into massive housing estate.
7. Yes.  However consideration should be given to providing parking for the residents on Collaton Road so that the highway can be kept clear.
8. Wouldn’t Great Park be a better idea as already new houses there and sewage installed.  Collaton Road is already a nightmare with parked cars and speeders.
9. Collaton Road too busy and congested with traffic.  Dangerous junction at Portlemore and Collaton.
10. Cost of houses go down. Collaton Road is too busy already. Sewerage won’t cope.  Great Park has sewer.
11. Site 1 best – just – for access and visual impact.  Split development between 1 and 3?
12. Develop what the current infrastructure can sustain
13. Landscaping would be essential first
14. Needs to be landscaped into the site so as not to be ‘over-powering’
15. Traffic problems
16. Portlemore is better suited in terms of access to the main village.  It would also be better in terms of affordable homes/private ratio.
17. Better access to this site than any of the others
18. As it seems a foregone conclusion I could be wasting my time but it is ridiculous to even think about putting it there.  Too busy a road Collaton already nightmare and Malb Park need their spaces for their cars of which they pay for.
19. For much of the day these two sites (PD & Great Park) have a far more sunny aspect.  Pleasant for the occupants.  Important.

Site 2 - GREAT PARK/FIELD BY ALLOTMENTS, WITHYMORE FARM

1. Traffic calming measures along Collaton Road essential
2. This site is too big and is extending the village, not in-filling.  It is a very narrow road and the only access to Soar and the beautiful coastline, BAD for AONB.
3. Access – NO.  All traffic through village past pubs – too narrow.
4. Poor access.  Would require footpath and road.  Summer hell.
5. The worst by far – wrong end of the village for easy access – visually horrible for Coastal conservation zone
6. I live on Higher Town by the P.Office and traffic is a ‘nightmare’ along this road already all the time
7. Great Park is the best option.  No traffic congestion and services already there.
8. Too exposed
9. This should be the preferred site.  Sewerage is already in place for Great Park.
10. Too many access issues through village centre
11. For much of the day these two sites (PD & Great Park) have a far more sunny aspect.  Pleasant for the occupants.  Important.

Site 3 - FIELD BEHIND THE CHURCH, WITHYMORE FARM

1. Luckhams Lane is far too narrow with dangerous bends at both ends making access to this site very unsafe and dangerous
2. Severe traffic problems.  Major roadworks would be necessary
3. Better balance of village but need infrastructure
4. This site could provide much needed parking at this end of the village.  Access from The Pound would work. The new development at Eastacombes hides this site.
5. Parking and access difficult
6. Access – NO.  Small scale houses – YES. Church Amenity – NO.  Pump sewer required.  Needs wider access solution.
7. Southern end (top) cannot be widened for increasing traffic – before any development
8. Access!! Traffic!
9. Yes but a new access road would be needed to avoid traffic through middle of village
10. Luckhams Lane increasingly becoming a ‘RAT RUN’
11. Second best to site 1 (just) or split development between 1 and 3
12. 2^nd choice, as above (1^st was Portlemore Downs on response slip)
13. Where would the access be?
14. Too many access issues through village centre

1. How many more children can catchment area primary schools educate? Health services? Local services – perhaps 30 houses?
2. Eastacoombes is the best option. Sustainable and accessed through existing residential development.
3. There should not be further building until the shop, school and sewers can cope with more people
4. No building to take place until sewers. Roads and school can cope with additional people

Whilst this consultation has given Malborough’s Neighbourhood Planning Forum a mandate to recommend Portlemore Downs as its’ preferred option in the Neighbourhood Plan we would wish the developers of any allocated site to demonstrate the site is:

• delivering what the Parish needs,
• at a time when it needs it,
• is going a long way in meeting the design and build aspirations of the Parish &
• is addressing the major concerns of parishioners about the impacts of a new build scheme.

To recap, the rationale for writing a Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that we, as a Parish, can have some say in how our community develops.  Development is happening across the country; locally developers are actively seeking opportunities for new builds but, within an AONB, any development must be needs led.  Our Housing Needs Survey (now published on the Malborough website at http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/) demonstrates that there is a need for more affordable homes within the Parish – even after adjusting for phase 2 of Alston Gate.  The trick now will be to advance our plan as quickly as possible so that it can be used to inform planning decisions.  Given that the land agents for Portlemore Downs are already in pre-applications discussions with the planners at SHDC we also need to promote pro-active, round table debate between Parish, planners and developers.  Running in parallel with progressing the plan through to referendum is the need to negotiate what might be possible in terms of economic viability for the applicant whilst delivering the Parish's wish list. Inevitably, at these workshops, there will be trade-offs but we could be uniquely placed to be able, through collaborative working, to deliver exemplar developments if we can align our plans and time frames.

The next step for us will be to have a draft plan in place for the end of April 2016; that is an ambitious timetable but one that will allow us to get to a referendum by 30^th November – allowing for all the pre-consultation and independent inspection processes.  Due process (red tape, bureaucracy – call it what you like) is determined nationally – it is not down to us.  The upside is that the majority of costs are being grant funded and/or picked up, as part of the day job by officers at SHDC.  So in May and June there will be another chance for you to input and comment on what we have put together in the draft plan.  It is:

Malborough Neighbourhood Planning Forum

March 2016

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To recap, the rationale for writing a Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that we, as a Parish, can have some say in how our community develops.  The plan will become a statutory planning document. It will ensure that the needs, views and priorities of the local community, us, are fully considered when assessing future planning applications and proposed developments within the area.

In 2013, when we started this Neighbourhood Planning process, we said that development is going to happen.  In planning terms Malborough is considered ‘sustainable’: there is identified, and current, local need for affordable homes and, at some point, more houses will be built within the Parish.  We cannot stand still – our community is growing.  Between 2001 and 2011 our population grew by more than 8%.  In 20 years’ time, using this same rate of growth, Malborough will grow by a further 17%.  Thus our population will have increased by more than a quarter since the 2001 census!  However we analyse this, and we can look at the data by age group, occupation, household type etc., some development of our Parish is going to be needed. 

In 2015 Malborough called for potential development sites:  

In calling for potential development sites we wanted land owners, developers and local community groups to have this opportunity to identify the most suitable sites.  We know that land is a precious resource and the local knowledge of people who live and work In Malborough was crucial in helping to ensure that all potential, sustainable opportunities for development were considered.

Site assessments:  In August 2015 a Stakeholder Panel was formed and the submitted sites were researched, visited and assessed.  This exercise was not, in itself, a process to allocate sites but to identify options.

Engaging you in the development of the plan: We believe that, in running our own Call for Sites and through the Site Assessment itself, we have delivered a transparent and robust process that ensures all potential allocation sites have been considered. The forum have now discussed and deliberated, at length, about possible options and which sites, and why, are the most suitable for development.  The optimum site(s) can then be ‘allocated’ for development within our Neighbourhood Plan or identified as reserve sites for future growth IF need is proven. We have also tried to articulate what type of housing we need and when we need it. 

We are shortly going to ask you:

• Have we identified the right options?
• Which option(s) do you prefer and why?
• Are there any options that we should have thought of that are missing?

Our options have to be those that best deliver our Vision and Objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan.  They also have to be realistic and achievable.  As we go forward we want to attach conditions to our preferred option(s); some conditions will be ‘must haves’ or red lines: absolute, non-negotiable requirements of the Parish.  Others will be ‘it would be nice to have’ and some will be ‘in an ideal world we would like to have’. 

If or when sites are eventually brought forward by the developers to a formal planning stage there will be a need for pro-active, round table debates between Parish, planners and developers.  We need to negotiate what might be possible in terms of economic viability for the applicant whilst delivering the Parish's wish list. Inevitably, at these workshops, there will be trade-offs but we could be uniquely placed to be able, through collaborative working, to deliver exemplar developments if we can align our plans and time frames.

On Monday 7th March there will be the opportunity for you to come and see what is being proposed, ask questions and make comments and suggestions.  We will have some ‘story-boards’ and maps at the Church and members of the Forum will be there to talk you through some of the issues.  This drop in consultation will run from 4 - 8pm in the Meeting Room, All Saints Church.   We need your input. Thank you. 

Malborough Neighbourhood Planning Forum

Well we would like to write that the plan is finished, you have voted on it and we are fit for the future…the reality however is somewhat different!  We cannot plan in a vacuum – we need to understand what Malborough might look like and need in the future.  For that we require feedback; hence the housing needs survey (HNS) that was delivered (thank you to the volunteers who trudged from door to door) to you at the beginning of November. 

At the time of writing this only 11 households have replied electronically.  I would like to think that the ballot box in the Post Office, for your hard copy replies, is bursting and full with completed questionnaires.  Again I fear the reality is that only a few of you have put pen to paper and the majority of questionnaires are lying buried somewhere in the plethora of household paperwork if, indeed, they have not already been recycled!  I know when we filled ours out that there were few questions that we felt relevant to our household but that in itself is information in that we do not need a house, we hope not to have to move in the future and thus our housing needs for the duration of the plan (20+ years) are met…..Can we urge you again please to respond to the Housing Needs Survey – it will take you less than 5 minutes but should give us some hard data which we can use to gauge the future housing stock needed for the parish.  The e-link to the survey is: https:/www.surveymonkey.com/r/malborough.  OR you can use the prepaid envelope supplied with the questionnaire OR you can pop into the post office and put it in the ballot box.  We are extending the deadline until Monday 7th December.

The Forum has not met since September.  When we do reconvene we plan to look at options for those sites submitted locally for potential development deemed acceptable by the technical panel led by SHDC.  In due course these options will be put to the village as the next consultative stage of the long term plan for Malborough.  What options are generated however will be informed by what we need and for that we require the Housing Needs Survey data! 

A reminder that, if we do NOT have a plan then there is nothing, apart from National Planning Policy, to moderate development.  If we know what we, the Parish, will need we can try and ensure development mirrors demand rather than have large pockets of new housing coming on stream with the wrong mix of types of housing and at the wrong time.  This Government prioritises new housing – we have to be pro-active in trying to get what we want, when we want it and where we want it!  Please fill in your Housing Needs Survey and return it as soon as possible.  Thank you. As always more volunteers/interested parties are always welcome.   More information can be found on the Village website http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/ . 

Malborough Neighbourhood Plan Forum. November 2015

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MALBOROUGH’S NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE SEPT 2015

The Forum last met on Monday 7^th September.  The sites submitted, following the recent local call, have now been assessed as to their acceptability by a technical panel led by SHDC.  All suggestions have been considered and evaluated as to whether they are developable, how much development could be accommodated on them and whether they could be delivered within 5, 10, 15 & 20 year time frames.

The results of the assessment are being copied out to applicants and it is hoped that we will have some options to put to the village early in the New Year as the next consultative stage of the long term plan for Malborough.  (All stages of the Neighbour Plan have to be consulted on with the Parishioners and the finished plan when completed and approved by the Inspectorate is put to a Referendum in the Parish.)  Smaller sites were not allocated as SHDC look at sites of 5+ houses only.  These smaller sites can be dealt with by planning permission but can be favoured in our plan provided we are not clashing with National or local SHDC policies. 

As outlined in the Editorial, a Housing Needs Survey is planned for October; this will be available in paper form and electronically (using Survey Monkey) for all parishioners.  Please watch out for the ‘marketing’ posters and make sure that as many of you as possible participate to allow us to have an accurate snap shot of housing needs within our Parish.

More volunteers/interested parties are always welcome.   More information can be found on the Village website http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/ and the next meeting is planned for October 12th at 7pm.

MNP Forum Sept 2015.  Contact us via the Parish Council or the website at http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/yourplancontact

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July 2015:

• Yes we go on…slowly but surely taking small, inexorable steps forward although it does appear that the latest National Planning Guidance is diluting the impact of Neighbourhood Plans with less bottom up figures informing the ‘must do’ targets. 
• The village as a whole, referencing its’ responses to the questionnaires last year, wanted to see small pockets of development phased in over the life of the plan.  These could be around the village itself or in the outlying parts of the parish.  However the key consideration for the smaller hamlets and rurally isolated parts of our NP area is whether potential development sites can be considered as ‘sustainable’.  This includes reviewing what access to services and amenities the site has, and crucially, if it would result in reliance on the private car.  The sustainability consideration is likely to result in a lot of the sites further from the village centre being ruled out. 
• The Forum last met on 29th June when it reviewed the sites submitted following the recent local call for sites.  These have been mapped and Forum members will be contacting other landowners round the settlement boundaries to see if any other acreage might be put forward.  Two significant plots have been volunteered at either end of the village. 
• SHDC will be leading a panel to, technically, assess the submitted sites in August.  Please note that that putting a site forward does not mean that it will be allocated or that its development will be supported.  However all suggestions will be considered and assessed as to whether they are developable, how much development could be accommodated on them and whether they could be delivered within 5, 10, 15 & 20 year time frames.
• To reiterate, this exercise DOES NOT decide where new development will take place. In due course Malborough’s Neighbourhood Plan will make recommendations about what development Malborough wants and needs.  The Plan may then go further and suggest exactly where development would be supported and could take place – informed by this exercise.  This review will also help identify suitable sites for employment and leisure within the Parish including a site suitable for local dog walkers to exercise their pooches, safely and off-lead, within the village environs.
• All stages of the Neighbour Plan have to be consulted on with the Parishioners again and the finished plan when completed and approved by the Inspectorate is put to a Referendum in the Parish. 
• As always more volunteers/interested parties are always welcome.     More information can be found on the Village website http://www.malboroughvillage.org.uk/  
• A Housing Needs Survey is planned for September/October and the next meeting of the Forum is planned for September 7th at 7pm. Malborough’s NP Forum, July 2015

April 2015: CALL FOR SITES - PLEASE SEE DEDICATED PAGE. Includes Links to Site Submission Form.

As at March 2015: Please page down to access the published survey results and evidence base/parish plan.

Malborough's Neighbourhood Plan 2015-2030

Your Chance to Help Plan the Future Development of the Parish

The 6 week consultation for the Plan's area started on 1st September 2013 and in December SHDC Executive designated the boundaries of Malborough Parish as our planning area. For a reminder about this initiative please see the Community Briefs in every edition of the Messenger, our Parish magazine.  All future editions will include an update about what is going on. 

For more information, please click here and http://www.southhams.gov.uk/shneighbourhoodplans.

A brief synopsis:

For many years planning has been seen as a distant activity, with seemingly little local influence and everything determined at District level.  The Localism Act 2011 changes all of this by giving us, the residents of Malborough, the chance to develop a Neighbourhood Plan.

Although some development will be necessary in the parish to meet demands for housing, the ‘Plan’ should allow us to consider all
proposals thoroughly and decide which make best sense overall. It also gives us the chance to look at the infrastructure and to ensure everything is developed in sync and when needed whilst maintaining the character and integrity of the village.

The Parish Council prepared the ground for the plan, but the most important part is for you, the residents of Malborough, to put forward your views, ideas, and priorities for the future of the parish. This is your chance to make a real difference so we implore you to take it.

So what is Neighbourhood Planning?

It is a new process which was passed by the Government within the Localism Bill. The process has been designed to enable the local community to influence the planning and development of their area, by helping to decide:

• The most appropriate places for new homes, shops, offices, leisure facilities and other developments to be located.
• What type of development is needed and what it should look like.
• Which important green spaces and other important areas should be protected.
• What improvements or additions to local facilities and services will be required alongside any development.

So why does it matter?

The planning system helps decide what gets built, where and when. In theory, planning has always supposed to give local communities a say in decisions that affect them, however, in practice, people have often found it hard to get their voice heard.
The Neighbourhood Planning process will result in the production of a statutory planning document which will be used to ensure that the needs, views and priorities of the local community are fully considered when assessing future planning applications and
proposed developments within the area.

What will the Plan look at?

The Plan for Malborough will look at all issues related to the use and development of land and buildings in and around the village. This might include (amongst others);

• The development of housing (location, type, tenure etc)
• Local employment and opportunities for businesses to set up or expand their premises.
• Transport and access issues (roads, cycling, walking etc)
• The provision of leisure facilities, schools, places of worship, health, entertainment, and youth facilities.
• The design and layout of new buildings
• The protection and creation of open spaces (nature reserves,allotments, sports pitches, play areas, parks and gardens)
• Environmental issues (planting of trees, flowers, litter etc) Installation of renewable or alternative energy solutions.
• Protection of important buildings and historic assets

How do I get involved?

30% of you have now completed the questionnaires and, after collating all your responses electronically (and you wrote a LOT, thank you) a 225 page report was generated!  You relished your chance to have your say about the future of your village.  A reminder about what we asked you can be had by clicking on this link.

QUESTIONNAIRE

AS AT 14th OCTOBER WE HAVE TAKEN THESE 225 PAGES AND SUMMARISED THEM IN A 35 PAGE BOOKLET WHICH WE ARE CALLING OUR EVIDENCE BASE (FOR THE PLAN).  HOWEVER, BY DEFAULT, IT ALSO BECOMES OUR PARISH PLAN AS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD AN IDEA OF YOUR ASPIRATIONS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE PARISH AS AND WHEN MONIES (GRANTS, PRECEPTS, DONATIONS ETC) BECOME AVAILABLE OR WHERE YOU WANTED THE PARISH COUNCIL TO INVEST SOME TIME AND EXPERTISE.  Now published - see below

YOU ALSO ATTENDED A:

• DROP IN SESSION AT THE VILLAGE HALL ANNEXE
• ON WEDNSDAY 25TH JUNE FROM 6-8pm.

AND FOUND OUT

• What ‘The Plan for Malborough’ is all about
• How the plan will be created
• How you can get involved

TWO WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FROM THE YOUNG ADULT AND CHILDRESN QUESTIONNAIRE AND THEY WILL HAVE THEIR GIFT TOKENS SHORTLY!

• YOUR FUTURE

• YOUR VOICE

• YOUR PLAN

Much of this has been made possible by the enthusiasm of parishioners on the Neighbourhood Planning Forum and through a successful application for grant funding from the Supporting Communites in Neighbourhood Planning Programme led by Locality in association with RTPI/Planning Aid England, CDF and partners, available through the My Community Rights website.

Key information about this programme

Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning is a £9.5m programme of expert support and funding to help communities across the country create neighbourhood plans.

The programme is run by Locality, in association with partners RTPI/Planning Aid England, Community Development Foundation, Urban Vision Enterprise, Eden Project and URS, and funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government

http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/neighbourhood-planning/

Copies of our Evidence base are being printed and will be available at public locations in the Village or by request to any Parish Councillor or NP forum member or contact us through this website.  There will also be a link to the document and full survey results (the 225 pages) from this website shortly.  There have been summary tasters in the last two editions of the Messenger and we are delighted that 30% of you took the time to have your say, thank you. We will also be emailing them to all those that indicated you wished to be kept informed of progress.

Now we have the evidence we can start the plan.  We are also finalising a date for SHDC to commence our Housing Needs Survey. We have incorporated all the issues we think you identified in our early plan draft - what we want the Neighbourhood Plan to address.  We are now writing our objectives - what the Neighbourhood plan aims to achieve and what we have to do to achieve it.  As always more volunteers and interested parties are very welcome so please get in touch!  As soon as we have some working drafts we will share these with you and continue to ensure we have your feedback into the process as we progress.  Keep an eye open for more opportunities to get involved and have your say.

Debbie, October 2014 for Malborough's Neighbourhood Planning Forum and Parish Council

December 2014

OUR EVIDENCE BASE & PARISH PLAN - CLICK HERE

&

SURVEY MONKEY RAW DATA RESULTS - Click Here

(SORRY ABOUT THE BLANK PAGES BUT THAT IS WHERE PERSONAL DATA HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION)

March 2014; we progress - slowly.....There will be a Local Call for Sites, launch date 1st April 2015....the projects idenditifed in the now adopted Parish plan are being prioritised for funding and action......