Waverley BC has had to postpone the Neighbourhood plan referendum
All residents will be advised by letter.
The legal process surrounding and arranging referendums are complex. There has been a minor legal hitch. There is a legal process taking place and due to complex referendum legislation adhering to due legal process is required to move forwards. It is important that this follows its course.
We do not know the full reasons for the postponements but it is important not to speculate.
You can make sure you are registered to vote. And that you have photo ID on the day. This can be passport, drivers licence or bus pass – all kinds.
This does give everyone a good chance to realise that Cranleigh Parish Council and Waverley Borough Council are working on the Neighbourhood plan and Surrey County council is still reviewing the plans for High Street -money that we deserve to be spent.
Cranleigh Neighbourhood Plan and Surrey County Council’s High Street plans are distinctly separate.
Let’s not confuse the two – when the referendum is re-scheduled we advise voting yes – here is a link to the document or go to Cranleigh Parish Council website to find it.
The benefits are that planners must and will abide by as many points made by the Cranleigh public and saved in the Neighbourhood plan as possible.
There are no downsides to voting yes. It is a sound document requiring more care and consideration for our environment. It will also mean when properties are built the developers contributions will be higher so Cranleigh will benefit.
Neighbourhood plans can establish a vision for an area, including general planning policies for the development and use of land in a neighbourhood and they can allocate sites for development. They should be about local rather than strategic issues. If adopted, they will form part of the overall development plan for the borough and will be used to assist in the determination of all planning applications in that area.
Can a neighbourhood plan stop development from happening in the area?
No – a neighbourhood plan can guide development to be more appropriate to the local context and help decide where it goes within the area.
A neighbourhood plan cannot stop development and the government has made it clear that it is not a tool for residents to oppose proposals for new developments close to them.
A neighbourhood plan can only include proposals for an equal (or greater) amount of growth than is set out in the Council’s development plan, and regional and national guidance.
So the Neighbourhood “Plan” is actually a wish list of how the local community would like to see its environment develop. There are tiers of planning authorities (borough, county, national) above its visionary aspect which exerts an overriding influence.