Agenda item

Report No: COU/WS/20/003

Council considered this report, which sought approval for Council to ‘make’ (adopt) the Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan as a West Suffolk Development Plan Document.

Neighbourhood Plans were introduced into the planning process by the Localism Act 2011. Their aim was to allow local communities to take responsibility for guiding development in their area. This approach was subsequently embedded in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2012, and subsequent revisions in 2018 and 2019.

Legislation required a neighbourhood to meet a set of basic conditions, as summarised in the report. In addition, in order for a Neighbourhood Plan to become part of the development plan it must follow a statutory process involving public consultation at each formal stage including the designated of the plan’s area, pre-submission, submission, examination and finally by referendum.

Section 3 of the report summarised the above process that had been followed, which culminated in a referendum being held on 30 January 2020. The referendum asked the question "Do you want West Suffolk Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Newmarket to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?" The Neighbourhood Plan was successful at the referendum with a clear majority of 1,361 people voting ‘Yes’ and 263 ‘No’ from a turnout of 13.85%.

Councillor David Roach, Portfolio Holder for Local Plan Development and Delivery, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council including that the Council had a duty to support communities who were preparing Neighbourhood Plans and the Council’s responsibilities in respect of providing this support were clearly set out in the relevant Regulations.  The Plan had been independently examined and agreed by West Suffolk Council to meet the Basic Conditions; it had been endorsed by the community having been subject to a referendum and had otherwise complied with all the legal requirements of plan production. It was considered that the Plan met European legislation and was compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998 and Council was therefore urged to ‘make’ the Plan to become part of the development plan for West Suffolk.

During the debate, Newmarket Town Council, and in particular the designated Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, were commended for the exceptional efforts that had been made to develop an appropriate and acceptable Neighbourhood Plan. Through positive engagement between stakeholders and residents, it was considered that this Plan provided a workable template for the ongoing prosperity of Newmarket. Further ongoing positive engagement was encouraged to achieve appropriate delivery of the Plan’s policies and proposals.

On the motion of Councillor Roach, seconded by Councillor Robert Nobbs, it was put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That:

1.       the Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum version) be ‘made’ (adopted), so that it becomes part of the statutory development plan, and a material consideration for determining planning applications in the Newmarket Neighbourhood Area; and

2.       delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director (Growth) and the Service Manager (Strategic Planning), to make minor non-material consequential changes to the Plan, as necessary, and exercise all of the Council’s functions and responsibilities in relation to making the Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan.