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Monday, February 10, 2025

Tollerton: Referendum for residents to have final say on Neighbourhood Plan for village

The referendum for registered voters in Tollerton will be held on Thursday 13 February 2025.

Residents of Tollerton are to have their say on a new Neighbourhood Plan through a referendum next month.

The referendum for registered voters in Tollerton will be held on Thursday 13 February 2025 with residents asked whether they wish the neighbourhood plan to be used to help decide future planning applications in the area.

The question to be asked in the referendum will be:

“Do you want Rushcliffe Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for
Tollerton to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Neighbourhood Plans

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Neighbourhood planning was introduced under the Localism Act to give members of the community a more hands on role in the planning of their neighbourhoods. It introduced new rights and powers to allow local communities to shape new development in their local area by coming together to prepare neighbourhood development plans (usually referred to as neighbourhood plans).  It enables communities to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable development they need through planning policies relating to the development and use of land.

Neighbourhood plans can be prepared by parish councils or neighbourhood forums (in areas not covered by a parish).

The local community can decide what to include in a neighbourhood plan, but it must meet the following ‘Basic Conditions’:

  • Must have regard to national planning policy and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State;
  • Must contribute to the achievement of sustainable development;
  • Must be in general conformity with strategic policies in the development plan for the local area (i.e. the Local Plan); and
  • Must be compatible with EU obligations and human rights requirements.

Neighbourhood plans should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan or undermine its strategic policies.

There is a statutory process that must be followed for the making of a neighbourhood plan.

The draft plan must be prepared through a process of consultation with local residents and businesses and the final draft plan must be subject to a set ‘publicity period’, where people are given an opportunity to submit comments.

An independent examiner reviews these comments and checks whether the neighbourhood plan meets the basic conditions and other requirements set out in the regulations. This is to make sure that referendums only take place when proposals are workable and of a decent quality.  The examiner then reports whether any modifications should be made to the plan and whether it should proceed to referendum stage.

Role of the Parish Council in the referendum

Tollerton Parish Council provided information about the neighbourhood plan to residents at the end of December.

Once notice of the referendum has been published, electoral law places legal restrictions on the information and advice that can be published by public bodies in advance of the referendum.

Legal advice will be sought on the extent to which these restrictions apply to Tollerton Parish Council – given its involvement in developing the plan – however pending that advice the Parish Council will be making no comments on the neighbourhood plan, except to raise awareness of the referendum and key information for voters

 The referendum on 13 February will be administered by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

  •  Referendum could be called for Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan decision

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