Press Releases
The Parish Council of Denmead
PRESS RELEASE
29 th September 2014
For immediate use
Since late in 2011 a team of Parish Councillors and residents of Denmead have been working on a Neighbourhood Plan using legislation passedn in 2012 to determine the village's future. The draft Neighbourhood Plan makes site allocations which meet agreed housing needs, as well as protecting the Denmead Gap; improving open space provision, planning for a Multi-Use Games Area, promoting the local economy in the shopping area and at Parklands business area.
Denmead is pioneering the concept of local people planning their own future and are one of the Government's Frontrunners in this process. There are now over 2000 parishes and local forums preparing a Plan with over twenty having completed the process.
Neil Lander-Brinkley, Chairman of the Steering Group said "Today we can announce that the Denmead Neighbourhood Plan has been submitted to Winchester City Council (WCC) and that it has gone live on their web-site thus starting a further six week period of consultation.
"Whilst the Plan has taken quite a long time to prepare, this is largely because we have been in uncharted territory. "Recently we have made very good progress and that included a period when residents were able to comment on a draft version. "We have made some changes as a result of comments received. "All this work has helped to create a path which other groups can follow. "
The comments received by WCC will be passed to an independent Examiner appointed by the City Council. The Examiner will consider the representations, whether the plan meets the basic conditions and other relevant legal requirements and determine if the plan should be put to a community referendum. The Examiner may request further information to help in his consideration and may conduct the examination through written representations only, or he may call a public hearing to examine a particular issue in more depth. If the examiner recommends that the Plan should proceed to a Referendum which will probably take place 2 or 3 months afterwards.
The Denmead Neighbourhood Plan and supporting documents may be viewed on Winchester City Council’s website :http://www.winchester.gov.uk/planning-policy/neighbourhood-plans/dnp-submission/ and is available for inspection in hard copy at Denmead Parish Council, The Old School, School Lane, Denmead, Waterlooville, PO7 6LU (Monday to Friday 9.30am-4.30pm).
Representations may be made online at:http://www.winchester.gov.uk/planning-policy/neighbourhood-plans/dnp-submission/ by email to: denmeadnp@winchester.gov.uk or by post to: Head of Strategic Planning, Winchester City Council, City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester, SO23 9LJ.
For further background why not visit www.denmeadneighbourhoodplan.org.uk?
Ends
Tony Daniells, Clerk to the council
email: clerk@denmeadparishcouncil.co.uk telephone: 023 9224 7947
December 2013
Press Information - for immediate use
It’s the only one in Winchester!
The localism legislation introduced by this government has encouraged Parish Councils to develop their own plans for the future of their community. Currently Denmead is the only Council in the whole of the Winchester City Council district to be preparing a Neighbourhood Plan. Denmead was chosen by the Department of Communities & Local Government (DCLG) be one of a select band of ‘Frontrunners’ in the project and given a grant to help us create our Neighbourhood Plan.
Since we started two years ago, the Steering Group, made up of Parish Councillors, one of our Ward Councillors and volunteers from within the village has been consulting with residents about how they wish the village to evolve over the next twenty years as well as fact-finding about the environment, transport issues, and community issues such as lack of green and play space. "We have had three rounds of consultation" reports Neil Lander-Brinkley (who chairs the Steering Group) as well as seeking professional advice from such bodies as the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on specialist issues". Winchester City Council Officers have been helpful in providing background information as they progress the Local Plan for the District.
Working within the parameters set out in the Winchester Local Plan Part 1, Denmead is responsible for its own Plan for its development up to 2031. This will include where heritage views and green space should be preserved, when business initiatives should be encouraged as well as where houses should be built, how they should be designed and the mix of types of housing are all part of the work.
"We are positive about the future and not seeking to stifle change" says Neil. "We accept the fact that we have to find space for about 250 dwellings within the village plan area. "We will do that, but we as part of the process we will work with developers and the other authorities to ensure that the village has good and modern facilities that are in keeping with its heritage as a rural community on the fringe of urban settlements."
The timetable for Denmead’s work shows that it will be consulting with residents during March 2014, showing them a draft version of the Neighbourhood Plan. That will be followed by an Examination by an independent Examiner (appointed by the government) and then a referendum in the summer. "We have appointed a professional advisor to help us and we are on track to achieve this" says Peter Ambrose, a resident who is a member of the Steering Group.
Notes for Press
(i) Currently five Neighbourhood Plans have gone to referendum in England. All have been approved and the most recent was Tattenhall in Cheshire.
(ii) Visit ww.denmeadneighbourhoodplan.org.uk for more information
(iii) Photo - the attached photograph shows Neil lander-Brinkley at St George’s Road, Denmead where 80 dwellings, that count towards the total of 250, are approaching completion.