Denham Parish Council is gave notice under Regulation 14 of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 that the Denham Neighbourhood Plan is out for pre-submission public consultation.
The consultation period ran from Monday 22 June 2020 to Friday 31 July 2020 and representations must have been received by 5pm on Friday 31 July 2020 in writing to the Parish Council Office, or by email to enquiries@denhambucks-pc.gov.uk
How can I view the Neighbourhood Plan?
Click here to download the Neighbourhood Plan
Hard copies of the Plan were on display at the Parish Council Office, every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 4pm during the consultation period.
If you were unable to come to the Parish Office at these times, or did not have access to the internet to view the electronic version, you could call the Parish Office
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
Denham Parish Council has prepared the Neighbourhood Plan 2020 for their parish, in conjunction with the residents of Denham and Planning Consultants O’Neill Homer. The Plan sets out a vision for the future of the Parish and planning policies which will be used to help determine planning applications locally.
A Neighbourhood Plan is a way of helping local communities influence the planning of the area in which they live and work.
Once adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will be a legal document, given weight in law and one which both developers and the local planning authority, Buckinghamshire Council, are obliged to take into account. The Neighbourhood Plan will give guidance to potential developers, small and large, and to future generations.
Why is my view important?
This is a real opportunity for Denham residents, particularly those who have not yet been involved, to ensure their opinions on future development and the preservation of green spaces are taken into account in the development of the Neighbourhood Plan.
What are the benefits?
Neighbourhood planning provides the opportunity for communities to set out a positive vision for how they want their community/neighbourhood area to develop over a period of time. This Plan aims to protect Denham for at least the next sixteen years and will be reviewed after five years.
In addition Denham can benefit from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which allows local planning authorities to raise funds from developers that carry out new building projects in the area. The funds raised can go towards infrastructure improvements needed to support growth, such as schools, lighting, footpaths and transport improvements.
Having an adopted Neighbourhood Plan will mean that Denham will be given a greater share (25%, uncapped) of any available CIL funds, giving Denham more opportunities to make local infrastructure improvements. Without a plan the amount the Parish receives will be reduced (15%, capped) and Denham could lose out.
Steering Group
The Parish Council began working on the Neighbourhood Plan back in September 2017. A Steering Group was formed to drive the Neighbourhood Plan forward. It has taken many hours of voluntary effort from Parish Councillors and local residents to produce this document.
Task teams appointed by the Steering Group, consisting of Councillors and residents, were established for each of the five settlements in Denham; Tatling End, Higher Denham, Denham Green, New Denham and Denham Village. Each team held open meetings with other residents from their settlement to identify and discuss items for inclusion in the Plan. At a later date the teams completed a walk round their settlement identifying key views, green spaces, historical sites and building characteristics that make Denham unique. We felt that these characteristics must be considered when planning decisions are made to ensure Denham is preserved and protected in years to come.
What happens next?
The Denham Neighbourhood Plan is being consulted on by all residents and statutory bodies. Comments and responses will be collected and reviewed by the Steering Group and consultants O’Neill Homer.
The final Neighbourhood Plan will then be prepared and submitted to Buckinghamshire Council for publication and the appointment of a Planning Inspector. Once the Planning Inspector has signed off on the Plan, the adoption of the final version of the Denham Neighbourhood Plan will be voted on at a Referendum of Denham residents in 2021.
How can I comment on the Neighbourhood Plan?
1. Email - Please email the Parish Council with your views and comments to the following email address: enquiries@denhambucks-pc.gov.uk
2. Written Comments - You can submit your written comments to the Parish Council Office by hand or by post to the following address Denham Parish Council, Rear of Memorial Hall, Village Road, Denham, UB9 5BN
Covid-19
The Parish Council will be closely monitoring government guidance on social distancing and public gatherings during the Covid-19 Pandemic. If government guidance allows, the Parish Council will also look to hold some possible outdoor public consultation events in July where you can ask the Parish Councillors questions about the Plan.
Please check the Parish Council website www.denhambucks-pc.gov.uk or follow us on Twitter @DenhamCouncil for updates on possible public consultations.
Please note that the deadline to submit your comments is 5pm Friday 31 July 2020.
Questions?
If you have any questions on the Denham Neighbourhood Plan, please call the Parish Council Office on 01895 834709 and leave a message. A member of the team or a Parish Councillor will return your call and be happy to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan with you.
We will endeavour to respond to all written and telephone questions within 10 working days.
Feedback on the Consultation:
The consultation has now closed, to download a copy of the Consultation Statement click here.
Download the Condition Survey, click here