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Category: Planning

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Draft Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Starts

Logo of the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan projectDraft Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Starts
Make Sure You Have Your Say!

Major consultation starts on matters which will affect our village and parish for the next 15 years

Following on from the publication of the preferred option for Colchester’s Local plan, the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is holding its own consultation. This autumn, starting on 5th October and extending until the end of November, a major consultation on the draft Neighbourhood Plan for West Bergholt will take place.

The consultation will take the form of:

  • A summary leaflet on the main points of interest in the Neighbourhood Plan.
  • Release of the draft Neighbourhood Plan document.
  • A questionnaire.
  • Meetings as required but including the October and November Parish Council meetings

To find out more and to view the consultation material listed above please visit our Neighbourhood Plan pages, so, to get started visit some of the main webpages listed below:

draft-neighbourhood-plan-consultationExhibition

Residents and Businesses are urged to visit the exhibition and read the consultation during the next few weeks to view:

  • Possible locations for new housing and sports facilities.
  • A range of community initiatives and projects we may want to see fulfilled.
  • Policies we may adopt to guide our planning and response to planning applications.

Take time to read the full document, the various consultation summaries, exhibition material and participate in the accompanying survey. This is the last of the informal consultations which will take place. After this our plan has to take its chances in the rarefied atmosphere of statutory planning examinations, including a referendum in due course, before it can declared a “statutory” plan.

As Chris Stevenson, Chairman of the Steering Group says:

It has been my pleasure to lead a group of extremely motivated people, whose concerted effort has been to bring us to this point in the process. Make their day and mine by helping us over the line – by all means challenge us and argue with our findings but do so from the point of making the plan even better than it is. Above all participate!

This is a pivotal point in our history. Never before has national and local government actually asked us to prepare our own plan to cover the next 15 years – let’s make the most of this opportunity!

Chris Stevenson
Chairman West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan steering Group
Chairman West Bergholt Parish Council

 

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Planning & Development Committee – 20th July 2016

Planning & Development Committee – 20th July 2016

Taking place on 20th July, this planning & development committee meeting, which is open to the public, will consider four planning applications affecting Bourne Road, Colchester Road (2), and Chapel Lane.  It will also consider 2 consultations, Essex Development Management and Colchester Local Plan.

Formal Notice of Meeting

Meeting of the Planning & Development Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council in the John Lampon Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 20th July 2016.

The public and press are welcome to attend. Continue reading “Planning & Development Committee – 20th July 2016”

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CBC Declares us to be a Sustainable Village

Colchester-VibrantCBC Declares us to be a ‘Sustainable Village’

Colchester Borough Council’s Local Plan Committee is about to review its draft Local Plan and associated reports on 5th July.   The village features in this draft plan as a ‘sustainable village’.

Whereas this may sound like a comforting declaration, it also heralds the prospect of further growth, although the village has escaped Continue reading “CBC Declares us to be a Sustainable Village”

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Neighbourhood Plan Makes Progress

NP Contents Page show how the group forges aheadNeighbourhood Plan Makes Progress

The Neighbourhood Plan meeting that took place earlier this month resulted in much progress with an almost completed first draft plan.  The picture on the right shows the Contents page to give some idea of what to expect when the final report is published (click on it for larger picture).

You will notice that a lot of the the section headings have blank ‘App Buttons’ and, since the plan will impact the children’s future, the NP group are running a competition for the pupils at Heathlands to design what the blanks should be filled in with.

There are 8 categories and these are listed below, there will be a winner and a prize selected for each App Button.  The Categories are:

Example of what the 'App Button' could look like for Housing & Planning
Example of what the ‘App Button’ could look like for Housing & Planning
  • Housing and Planning
  • Business and Commerce
  • Village Social and Community
  • Environment
  • Transport
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Community Safety
  • Communications

Download the entry form:

 

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Consultation on Lower Thames Crossing

Lower Thames Crossing Route MapConsultation on Lower Thames Crossing

Although this proposed crossing is distant from the village, many of you will either travel in that direction or wonder if it will impact other trunk routes.   The consultation on the project is open until 24th March 2016 so please feel free to add your views.

Highways England has launched the public consultation on proposals for a Lower Thames Crossing, a new road crossing of the River Thames connecting Kent and Essex.  The proposal is for a new road which would connect the A2/M2 in Kent with a tunnel crossing east of Gravesend and Tilbury, before joining the M25 between junctions 29 and 30.  There are three route options north of the river in Essex and two south of the river in Kent.

Find out more and have your say.

https://youtu.be/5YbK_04gFjk

This is your opportunity to let Highways England know your views before they make recommendations to the Department for Transport later this year. If you would like to find out more please visit the website www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk where you can:

Alternatively, you can call on 0300 123 5000.

Your views are important to, please provide your response by 24 March 2016.

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2015 Parish Meeting Well Attended

Refreshments before the meeting
Refreshments before the meeting
Opportunity to review the Neighbourhood Plan exhibition boards
Opportunity to review the Neighbourhood Plan exhibition boards
Public at 2015 annual meeting
Much debate between members and villagers
Discussions with parish councillors
The opportunity to talk to councillors was definitely taken up

2015 Parish Meeting Well Attended

The 2015 Parish Meeting saw over 100 local residents attending to receive the annual report from the Parish Council, the draft minutes of the meeting have already been published online but the following are highlights of the event.

Chairman’s Report

In his last Annual Meeting as Chairman, John Gili-Ross reflected on the importance of the Neighbourhood Plan in ensuring West Bergholt develops in accordance with the wishes of the local community.  On the subject of community, John also discussed the important part played by the many local volunteers:

Our future lies firmly within the many volunteers who help provide a vibrant and interesting village life.  Imagine how different our village would be without the many volunteers who provide our village with clubs, recreational pursuits, youth organisations, church communities, institutes and associations. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all our village volunteers.

Other areas he covered included the Superfast Essex broadband project, the achievement of the Local Council Quality Award, and the commitment of local councillors.  In winding up his Introductory messages he gave thanks to Val Walsom who will be retiring as Parish Clerk after many years, also to Vicky Beckwith-Cole, Halls Administrator and Stephen Cook, village handyman.

Committee Reports

Environment & Highways

Harry Stone reported on the wide span of responsibility this committee covers including:

  • The Allotments where he addressed the improvements in management and support with the rotavator and replacement of water tanks,
  • The Village Green & Poors Land which require regular maintenance,
  • The 3 ponds which need regular clearance of reed mace,
  • General maintenance in and around the village,
  • Traffic congestion and parking, updating on progress with the Traffic Safety Plan,
  • Highway Maintenance, liaison with Essex Highways attempting to prioritize those areas most needing attention,
  • MUGA & Sports facility which, whilst well used, has sometimes been abused but remedial action appears to be working,
  • Dog Fouling, Snow Clearance and Tree Conservation.

Premises & Recreation

Phil Walby reported on the halls and the high levels of lettings and events, not least by regular groups.  Projects undertaken in the past year included the resurfacing  and new LED lights for the car park, interior hall redecoration and provision of all-weather football facilities.  Projects planned for the upcoming year (funds permitting) include safety improvements to play equipment, stage curtains, floor treatments and introducing new regular events such as film nights.

Planning & Development

Chris Stevenson reported that the busiest part of this portfolio related to 43 planing applications in the past year (20% higher than the previous year) where the committee supported 19, objected to just 5 but made observations on a further 19.  Longer term, more strategic, activities included consultations with the Borough Council on Local Planning and provision of design guidance.  The committee was also deeply involved with the Orpen Hall car park resurfacing project.

Parish/Neighbourhood Planning

Chris Stevenson was able to report that most elements of the Parish plan, produced in 2008, have now been addressed and that progress has been made on its successor, the Neighbourhood Plan, through collection of evidence, analysis and eventual plan production – it is planned for a draft consultation document to be issued by the end of 2015.

Finance, Policy & Personnel

Andrew Savage reported that the 2013/14 accounts were signed off by the external auditor.  Financial activities in the past year were dominated by the Orpen Hall car park resurfacing which cost over £60k, but other projects have also been progressed including new chairs for both halls.  Projects like these are often fully or partly funded by grants, and indeed, some grant income did support these, but these are becoming increasingly difficult to secure and so to continue moving forward a small increase in the parish precept has had to be made.

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Neighbourhood Plan Exhibition & Consultation

Exhibition of the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan project

Neighbourhood Plan Exhibition & Consultation

How will West Bergholt change over the next 20 years?

LeafletVisit the Neighbourhood Plan exhibition at the Orpen Hall, on Saturdays 11th and 18th April 11am to 4pm, to find out how the Neighbourhood Plan Group would respond to this question; refreshments will be available.  But the Neighbourhood Plan Group really need your views as well and are looking for a response from as many people as possible.  It takes about 20 minutes to view the exhibition, if you want to discuss any of the proposals, members of the steering group will be available.

Do you like their suggestions? If not, tell them why? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE, TO HAVE YOUR SAY.

Find out more on our website at:

 

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Colchester Local Plan Consultation

colchester local planColchester Local Plan Consultation

CBC is in the process of creating a ‘Local plan’ and have started the consultation process, The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will be responding to this consultation as will the Parish Council.  A separate consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan is planned for the end of February to mid April.  For those interested in contributing directly the Borough Council recently issued the following notice:

Colchester Borough Council has started work on its new Local Plan for the Borough covering the period 2017-2032.

The Planning Policy team will be running  the Issues and Options Consultation from the 16 January 2015 until 27 February 2015 at the following locations:

  • Tiptree Community  Centre – Saturday 7 February 2015 (10am-2pm)
  • Mersea Centre (MICA) – Wednesday 11 February 2015 (4pm-8pm)
  • Wivenhoe Scout & Guide  Hut – Saturday 14  February 2015 (10am-2pm)
  • Hythe Community Centre – Monday 16 February 2015 (12 noon – 8pm)
  • Great Horkesley Village Hall – Saturday 31 January 2015 (10am – 2pm)
  • Marks Tey Village Hall – Saturday 21 February 2015 (10am-2pm)

In addition to the above drop in sessions there will also be additional consultation drop is sessions at Colchester Library (Saturday 17 January 2015 10am-2pm  & Tuesday 27 January 2015 2pm-6pm) and at Asda (on 24 January 2015 10am-2pm).

For those interested in attending you might want to access some of the project teams documentation inn advance, if so please visit the Colchester Borough Council website.

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Neighbourhood Plan Funding

Neighbourhood-Planning-FundingNeighbourhood Plan Funding

The Neighbourhood Plan Group have been successful in their application for funding for their project which is great news for the village.  The following was the letter received confirming this success:

On behalf of The Department for Communities and Local Government, I would like to congratulate you and your organisation for being selected as one of the recipients of a Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning grant.

You have been awarded a grant of £3,390 and the first installment of your grant (£3,051) has been approved for payment. Please ensure that you have read the Terms & Conditions of your grant thoroughly to ensure you are clear on the requirements of the grant, including the reporting required to release the final installment. Guidance on how to complete the grant monitoring forms is attached below.

Please accept our warm congratulations on the success of your application. We look forward to working with you on this important project.

With best wishes,

Alice Wilcock

Director, Partnerships & Innovation

Since this project is a key project for the future of the village the funding is a critical success so well done to the team behind it!

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Planning & Development Committee – 15th October 2014

Meeting of the Planning & Development Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council in the John Lampon Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 15th October 2014. The public and press are welcome to attend.

How Decisions are taken

  1. For applications included on the published agenda the Committee is authorised by the Parish Council to take decisions. These will be submitted by the Clerk onto the Borough Council’s website.
  2. If there is a Planning Application or correspondence received which post-dates the publishing of the agenda, and which cannot await the next meeting of the Committee, then such matters will be discussed at the meeting; where this occurs the committee will not take a decision but will make a recommendation to be considered by the next advertised appropriate meeting, which is likely to be the full Parish Council meeting. If this is the case the Planning applications concerned will appear on the Parish Council published agenda.

AGENDA – Matters to be taken in public

  1. To receive any pre-application representations regarding proposed Planning Applications
  2. To discuss the following applications:
Planning Application No. Location Consultation end date
145892 Resubmission of 144987 Delmont, Hall Road, West Bergholt Colchester CO6 3DU 22nd October 2014