“Made” Great Denham Neighbourhood Development Plan
As a result of the referendum on 3 August 2023, Bedford Borough Council has ‘made’ (brought into legal force) the Great Denham Neighbourhood Development Plan. The Plan will now form part of the development plan for the Bedford Borough Council area.
Further details and supporting documents can be found here:
Great Denham Neighbourhood Development Plan | Bedford Borough Council
NOTICE OF REFERENDUM
The referendum on Great Denham Neighbourhood Plan will take place on Thursday 3rd August 2023. All residents of Great Denham who are eligible to vote will receive a polling card.
Voters will be asked to answer the following question:
“Do you want Bedford Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Great Denham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”
The referendum will be determined by a simple majority of those voting.
Great Denham’s Neighbourhood Plan contains policies which have been based on resident feedback; if approved these policies will be taken into account for all future planning applications made for Great Denham.
The Plan (referendum version) can be read here
All other documents published by the Borough Council regarding the Great Denham Plan can be read on their website.
Approval to proceed to Referendum
The Independent Examiner has now reviewed Great Denham’s Neighbourhood Plan and issued his report.
The Neighbourhood Plan has been modified in accordance with the modifications requested in the Examiners Report, and both the Examiners Report and Great Denham Plan have been submitted for Executive Decision to proceed to referendum.
The Executive Decision by Bedford Borough Council to proceed to referendum was taken on 1st June 2023. As a result a referendum must be held within 56 days of this decision.
Independent Examination
Great Denham Neighbourhood Development Plan has now been submitted to the independent examiner by Bedford Borough Council (3rd March 2023)
- Examiner Procedural Matters and Questions letter
- Joint Response to Examiner Questions letter
- Supplementary Question letter (23rd March 2023)
- Parish Council Response to Supplementary Question
- Examiners Report on GD Neighbourhood Plan 2nd May 2023
Regulation 16 consultation took place 10th January and 22nd February 2023 and is now closed.
Please visit the Borough Council website here to view the plan documents.
A hard copy of the plan was also made available at Archers Rest Cafe, Great Denham Sports Pavilion, Queen Eleanor Drive, Great Denham.
Pre-Submission Consultation (Regulation 14) took place between 15th August and 14th October 2022 (inc)
Thank you to everyone who gave us feedback and/or came along to the Community Hall to chat with the Steering Group.
The plan documents are available here:
Great Denham Neighbourhood Development Plan (draft for Reg 14 consultation)
Great Denham Green Infrastructure Plan
Work has started on a Neighbourhood Plan for Great Denham
Neighbourhood planning was introduced by the Localism Act in 2011 to give communities more control over the future of their area by giving local people the chance to have their say on what happens where they live.
The proposals are founded on the principles of localism, which means more involvement by planning authorities, local people, businesses, house builders and developers rather than central government. The neighbourhood planning process is to be led by the parish council but needs input from everyone.
A Neighbourhood Plan sets out the community’s vision for its area, and
- Can establish general planning policies for the development and use of land in a defined way.
- Can outline how our social infrastructure and services might be improved.
- Can outline how we wish to protect and enhance our green infrastructure for people and wildlife
- Can specify the services and resources we would like developed
- Can describe any design requirements for future development, in keeping with the character of the place where we live.
- Must accord with national planning policy.
Once adopted our NDP will become a statutory plan and be used in making decisions on planning applications; it will become part of Bedford Borough Council’s Local Plan (subject to independent examination and successful local referendum).
There is a process we need to follow to create our plan, and clear stages where consultation on the draft proposals must take place with our community.
Further information can be found in The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012
Community involvement is a critical part of neighbourhood planning. Thank you to everyone who completed the recent survey in the Parish Council Newsletter. If you would like to get involved in helping to write the plan, please contact the Clerk.