Planning – Stevington Parish Council

PLANNING

Bedford Borough Council is the Local Planning Authority responsible for planning in Stevington.

The Parish Council is a statutory consultee in the planning process and must be informed of all planning applications and amendments to applications within the parish.

The Parish Council can only comment on planning applications in the same way as any other member of the public. The Parish Council cannot approve or reject planning applications.

PLANNING & BUILDING CONTROL - USEFUL LINKS

To find planning documents and applications - Search for plans

Building regulations and associated legislation - Building Control

Bedford Borough updated Local Plan - Local Plan 2040

Conservation and Heritage - Historic Environment Service

NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. They are able to choose where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have their say on what those new buildings should look like, comment on infrastructure to be provided and have an opinion on planning permission for the new buildings they want to see go ahead.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PARISH COUNCIL?

In a designated neighbourhood area that contains all or part of the administrative area of a town or parish council, the town or parish council is responsible for neighbourhood planning. Where a parish or town council chooses to produce a Neighbourhood Plan or Order, it should work with other members of the community who are interested in, or affected by, the neighbourhood planning proposals to allow them to play an active role in its preparation. The relationship between any group and the formal functions of the town or parish council should be transparent to the wider public.

Independent examination of the Stevington Neighbourhood Plan commenced on 26 August 2020, the final Examiner’s report was received on 1 October 2020 and the referendum was held on 6 May 2021. The plan was ‘Made’ on 9 June 2021. The Plan is now a legal document within planning legislation and forms part of the consultation policy when planning applications are considered by Bedford Borough Council. Further details can be viewed ~~here~~.

WHAT SHOULD THE PLAN ADDRESS?

A neighbourhood plan should support the delivery of strategic policies set out in the local plan or spatial development strategy and should shape and direct development that is outside of those strategic policies (as outlined in paragraph 13 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework). Within this broad context, the specific planning topics that a neighbourhood plan covers is for the local community to determine.

A neighbourhood plan should, however, contain policies for the development and use of land. This is because, if successful at examination and referendum (or where the neighbourhood plan is updated by way of making a material modification to the plan and completes the relevant process), the neighbourhood plan becomes part of the statutory development plan. Applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Wider community aspirations than those relating to the development and use of land, if set out as part of the plan, would need to be clearly identifiable (for example, set out in a companion document or annex), and it should be made clear in the document that they will not form part of the statutory development plan.

the stevington neighbourhood plan

The independent examination commenced on 26 August 2020 and the final Examiner’s report was received on 1 October 2020. The referendum was held on 6 May 2021 and the plan was ‘Made’ on 9 June 2021. Further details here.