You may be aware that Sutton Parish Council is looking to create a Neighbourhood Plan for our village. The ability to produce these plans was granted two years ago as part of the Localism Act. They enable local communities to put in place planning policies for the future development and growth of a local area.

A key aspect of the Neighbourhood Planning process is that it is community-led. Where there is a Parish Council then the council often takes the lead but the plan needs to be created and agreed by the local community. It may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities, or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development (housing, employment, leisure).

It is a long term plan looking at development over then next 10, 20 or even 25 years. The Neighbourhood Plan has a public examination stage and is voted on by residents in the area in a referendum to decide whether to adopt it. If it is adopted then the plan becomes part of the district’s Local Development Plan.

Sutton is at the start of the process, with the Parish Council having made a decision that it wants to produce a Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish and it is now starting to plan the first activities.