Helpston Parish Council
Neighbourhood Plan
Helpston Neighbourhood Plan
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The ‘Localism Act’ in 2011 gives residents more say in the development of their own communities. The ‘Act’ allows Parish Councils and the community to create a Neighbourhood Development Plan. The ‘Plan’ has legal status and can be used to influence future planning decisions and policy.
DESIGNATED AREA
Helpston Parish Council registered the whole of Helpston Parish as the designated area that the Helpston Neighbourhood Development Plan covers.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANS
Neighbourhood Plans are set up to incorporate local views and needs in planning
decisions that will be made about developments. Resulting Section 106 payments and Community Infrastructure Levy payments (as levied by the City Council) are channelled directly to the Parish Council for the benefit of the neighbourhood.
Neighbourhood Plans have to conform with the City Council's Local Plan and must demonstrate that local opinions are represented.
FORMING THE PLAN
A Steering Group was set up by the Parish Council in 2018 and a dedicated small group of Helpston's residents worked to produce a document that guides Helpston's development for the next 15 years and more. Two residents surveys were conducted and local organisations contacted for their input. A shared vision and objectives for Helpston's future development was created from the community responses. The vision for Helpston is:
"Helpston will remain a distinctive and historic limestone village within an attractive rural landscape and will maintain the key local physical, environmental and cultural attributes observed by poet and former resident John Clare. Helpston will retain its separation and distinction from other settlements and will provide services and facilities that will support an inclusive and vibrant community for the benefit of both the present and future population."
The steering group worked on a set of policies aimed at managing development to achieve that vision.
REGULATION 14 CONSULTATION
A six-week period of consultation on the proposed policies then followed between 1st July to 12th August 2021. Residents and all organisations with an interest in the parish were able to comment on the plan.
The proposed Neighbourhood Plan was displayed at John Clare Cottage from 10th to 24th July 2021 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Paper copies of the plan were also available together with details of 'phone and e-mail contacts.
Local organisations and businesses were contacted directly for their feedback.
THE FINAL PLAN
Consultation continued until 12th August 2021 and the steering group responded to all feedback with appropriate revisions to the Plan. The document was passed to Peterborough City Council who undertook further statutory consultation. A final version of the Plan was produced and residents were then asked to vote on its adoption in a Referendum. The Helpston Neighbourhood Plan was adopted and accepted by Peterborough City Council and now forms part of the City's statutory planning process.
DOCUMENTS
The Plan documents can be viewed below:
SECTION A: Regulation 14 Consultation Version
SECTION B: Post Consultation Version
SECTION C: Referendum version
Section A
Helpston Neighbourhood Plan - Consultation Version
Appendix 2 - Helpston's Local Green Space Designations
Appendix 3 - Helpston's Heritage Assets
NB. READERS SHOULD NOW REFER TO SECTION C (below) TO REVIEW THE FINAL REFERENDUM VERSION OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN. Versions published under Section A and Section B are superseded by material in Section C.
