Why have a Neighbourhood Plan?
1. The Neighbourhood Area of Radwinter (corresponding to the Parish) was designated by Uttlesford in 2019 and now for the very first time you have an opportunity to have a real say in how our local area should develop.
2. As part of the Uttlesford Local Plan, decisions will be made about future development. Our Neighbourhood Area will be expected to contribute its ‘fair share’ of the housing and other needs identified for the district.
3. The Neighbourhood Plan will plan for housing, employment, recreation and a range of community uses. Further policies will deal with the environment, heritage and protection of wildlife areas.
4. What is appropriate for the wider Uttlesford District is not necessarily appropriate for the setting of our rural area, its communities and its economy. It is therefore very important for us to have a Neighbourhood Plan that sets policies that are appropriate for our small settlements and their rural context.
5. We need a Neighbourhood Plan to control the way that development happens and to ensure that it respects the character of the Parish, is beneficial to the community and makes a positive contribution to the local economy. This is essential if our community is to thrive, but these matters will not receive the necessary level of attention in the Local Plan, which will be more strategic in its focus.
6. Our Plan can set policies for where new houses are built, for the size of developments and the design of dwellings. This will help to ensure that houses are built in the places where the community feels they will be most beneficial. It will enable us to control the appearance of new developments and ensure that they respect and blend in with the rural character of what already exists.
7. A Neighbourhood Plan will enable us to identify and plan for the facilities and services that are needed by our growing and changing population. We need to identify our needs in terms of local shops, recreation, sport, leisure, facilities for local businesses, transport, road safety, and our rural environment and heritage.
8. The Neighbourhood Plan must be approved in a Neighbourhood Referendum. If it receives approval it will be adopted by the local authority and become part of the Local Plan. It will have legal standing and planning officers will have to refer to the Neighbourhood Plan’s policies when deciding planning applications.
Why a Questionnaire?
9. The success of the Neighbourhood Plan will depend on the participation of the community. This Questionnaire is the start of the process, with participants helping to identify issues facing the Neighbourhood Area.
10. This questionnaire is designed to elicit your opinions on some of the important issues that must be considered as we plan for the development of our Neighbourhood Area. By identifying needs and planning to meet them we can plan for a healthy, vibrant local community and economy; and we can plan for growth and change that do not conflict with the rural environment and landscape that we all love and that are the reason why so many of us came to live here.
How to complete and return your Questionnaire
11. We hope that every resident aged 18 and over (we are making separate arrangements for those under 18) will complete a Questionnaire. You can complete it either on this paper copy or online at: www.radwinter.net/neighbourhoodplan. Additional paper copies can be obtained from the Post Office if needed.
12. Please complete and return your Questionnaire by 15th May 2020.
13. When completed, you can post or drop your questionnaire at the Radwinter Post Office or email a copy to radwinter.plan@gmail.com.