localplan.maidstone.gov.uk

Neighbourhood Planning


What is Neighbourhood Planning?

Neighbourhood planning has been introduced to enable more community involvement in the planning process, so that people can shape their local areas and have a greater say in planning decisions.

There are three types of neighbourhood planning documents:

  • a Neighbourhood Development Plan (shortened to neighbourhood plan) sets out planning policies for development and the use of land in a local area. Once adopted, a neighbourhood plan becomes part of the development plan for the area. This means that the plan has weight when decisions are made on planning applications.
  • a Neighbourhood Development Order allows permission to be granted for a particular development or use within a defined area without needing planning permission.
  • a Community Right to Build Order allows a local group to deliver a specific development, such as new homes or new community facilities that the local community is in favour of.

Update on Neighbourhood Plans

Post-examination Neighbourhood Plans

No current plans

Neighbourhood Plans which have passed referendum

No current plans

Designated Areas

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One of the first steps in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan is to apply to designate the Neighbourhood Area, which is the geographical area that the plan will cover. This process can only be done by a parish council, or by a Neighbourhood Forum in an unparished area.

Designated Neighbourhood Areas

Within the borough of Maidstone, the following Neighbourhood Areas have been designated;

Designated Neighbourhood Forums

The Localism Act gave local communities the power to come together as Neighbourhood Forums and work on Neighbourhood Plans to develop and implement local priority objectives such as infrastructure improvements and community facilities.

The following Neighbourhood Forum has been designated;

North Loose Residents' Association

Process Overview

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Preparing a plan

Neighbourhood Planning is governed by the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 and is made up of a number of key stages;

  • Designation of a Neighbourhood Area
  • Designation of a  Neighbourhood Forum
  • Drafting of the plan and pre-submission consultation
  • Submission to the Local Authority for publication
  • Consultation
  • Examination
  • Referendum

There are certain processes that need to be gone through while preparing a Neighbourhood Plan to make sure that it is in line with government regulations and guidance. The Plan must also conform with strategic policies in the local plan. Have a look at our advice note pages which outlines the process.

Statement of Community Involvement 2020

The Statement of Community Involvement 2020 sets out when and how stakeholders and the local community can get involved in the preparation of local plans, neighbourhood development plans and supplementary planning documents, and be involved in the process of decision making on planning applications.

There was a temporary addendum in relation to Covid 19 Temporary Addendum which can be viewed here. As restrictions have been lifted this addendum has now been revoked.

The Neighbourhood Planning Protocol supports the Statement of Community Involvement and outlines detailed actions for each regulatory stage. Have a look at our advice note which outlines the process.

Other support

Locality offer advice and guidance for communities looking to produce a Neighbourhood Plan.

Progress of Neighbourhood Plans

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Area/Parish Area Designation Pre-Submission Consultation Submission to MBC and Public Consultation Independent Examination MBC's decision to move to ReferendumMBC's decision to make a Neighbourhood Plan

Bearsted

10.12.15

     

Boughton Monchelsea

29.10.12

26.04.2019-11.06.2019

Submission - 10.03.20

Consultation - 14.08.20 - 28.09.20

Examiner's final report (December 2020)

Post Examination Plan

Referendum - see below

Decision Statement (to recommend adoption)

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

Boxley

05.09.13

     

Broomfield & Kingswood

15.10.12

Ended on 13.07.15

Submission - 21.10.15

Consultation - 06.11.15 - 18.11.15

Final Examiner's Report February 2016

Decision Statement  

Coxheath

20.10.12

Ended on 20.12.13

Withdrawn on 02.10.14

   

Harrietsham

29.10.12

Withdrawn on 05.05.15

    

Headcorn

08.04.13

Ended on 31.07.15

Submission - 13.11.15

Consultation - 15.01.16 - 26.02.16

Final Examiner's Report (March 2017)

Decision Statement  

Lenham

27.11.12

24.09.18 - 09.11.18

Submission - 19.12.19

Consultation - 14.02.20 - 27.03.20

Final Examiner's report (June 2020)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum - see below

Decision Statement (to recommend adoption)

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

Loose

04.10.13

31.10.16 - 13.12.16

Submission - 10.07.18

Consultation - 02.11.18 - 14.12.18

Examiner's Report (March 2019)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum - see below

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

Marden

14.01.13

09.06.2018 - 21.07.2018

09.06.2018 - 21.07.2018- Annex 1

Submission - 28.05.2019

Consultation -14.06.19-26.07.19

Final Examiner's Report (October 2019)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum - see below

Decision Statement (to recommend adoption)

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

North Loose

18.12.12

20.06.18

20.06.18 Map

Ended on 21.06.15

Submission - 09.08.15

Consultation - 11.09.15 - 23.10.15

Examiner's report (December 2015)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum Result - March 2016

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

Otham01.08.201722.07.19 - 06.09.19

Submission - 08.09.20

Consultation - 16.10.20 - 27.11.20

Final Examiner's Report (March 2021)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum - see below

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan

Staplehurst

14.01.13

Ended on 17.07.14

Submission - 08.09.15

Consultation - 23.10.15 - 04.12.15

Final Examiners Report (August 2016)

Post-Examination Plan

Referendum result - November 2016

Adoption Notice

Adopted Plan (2016)

Modification document

Decision Statement

Adopted Plan (2020)

Sutton Valence

28.02.14

     

Tovil

12.12.17

     
Yalding 19.04.18    

Consultations

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At present there are no consultations in progress

Referendums

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There have been seven Neighbourhood Plans that have passed the referendum stage.

Otham Neighbourhood Plan

Referendum Results

Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Otham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

VotesPercentage
Yes16398.8%
No21.2%

Rejected Ballots

ReasonNumber of Ballots
Want of official mark0
Voting for and against the same question0
Writing or mark by which voter could be identified0
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty0
Rejected in part0
Total 0
Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Plan

Information Statement

The following amendments are made to Page 1

“Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Boughton Monchelsea to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Information for Voters

The following amendments are made to Page 1

“Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Boughton Monchelsea to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

“If more people vote ‘yes’ than ‘no’ in this referendum, then Maidstone Borough Council will use the Neighbourhood Development Plan to help it decide planning applications in Boughton Monchelsea.”

The following amendments are made to Page 2

“In Boughton Monchelsea the boundary of the neighbourhood area was determined by Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council and is identical to Boughton Monchelsea Parish.” “Neighbourhood plans are prepared by town or parish councils, or neighbourhood forums. In this case, the  Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Development Plan was prepared by the Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council.”

Referendum Results

Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Boughton Monchelsea to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

 VotesPercentage
Yes95189%
No12111%

Rejected Ballots

ReasonNumber of Ballots
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty18
Total18
Lenham Neighbourhood Plan

Referendum Results

Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Lenham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

 VotesPercentage
Yes124292%
No1088%

Rejected Ballots

ReasonNumber of Ballots
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty6
Writing or mark by which voter could be identified7
Total7
Marden Neighbourhood Plan

Referendum Results

Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Marden to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

 VotesPercentage
Yes84490.4%
No909.6%

Rejected Ballots

ReasonNumber of Ballots
Want of official mark0
Voting for or against the same question0
Writing or mark by which voter could be identified1
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty0
Rejected in part0
Total1

Turnout = 26.8%

Loose Neighbourhood Plan

Referendum results

Do you want Maidstone Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Loose to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

 VotesPercentage
Yes43593.95%
No275.8%

Rejected Ballots

ReasonNumber of Ballots
Want of official mark0
Voting for or against the same question0
Writing or mark by which voter could be identified1
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty0
Rejected in part0
Total1

Turnout = 22.42%

North Loose Neighbourhood Plan
Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan

Made Neighbourhood Plans

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Advice Note

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There are certain processes that need to be gone through while preparing a Neighbourhood Plan to make sure that it is in line with government regulations and guidance. The Plan must also conform with strategic policies in the local plan. Have a look at our advice note pages which outlines the process.

Contact us

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If you would like to get in contact with us please email neighbourhoodplanning@maidstone.gov.uk


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