Delight at Council’s neighbourhood plan milestone

Harborough District Council this week gave the go-ahead for its 20th neighbourhood plan referendum to be held in the Harborough district.

In 2014, Harborough District Council made history when Broughton Astley became the first village in the East Midlands to have its neighbourhood plan adopted.

Since then, more villages in the Harborough district have brought forward their own neighbourhood plans – supported all the way by the district council.

This week Arnesby’s proposed neighbourhood plan became the 20th to move to the referendum stage. Villagers in Arnesby will go to the polls to decide whether to adopt the plan on 28 February 2019.

Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to help decide the future of the places where they live and work.  After submission, independent examination and agreement by the Council, a referendum is held and villagers go to the polls to decide whether to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to their neighbourhood plan.

Councillor Phil King, deputy leader and portfolio holder for planning, housing and regeneration, said: “Over the last five years Harborough District Council has been extremely successful in working with communities to deliver neighbourhood plans. Whilst the Government has made it clear that neighbourhood plans cannot be used to prevent otherwise sustainable or appropriate development, neighbourhood plans have already been used to help determine planning applications and ensure housing development is built in the right places.”

Communities can use a Neighbourhood Plan to:

• Choose where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built as long as the Neighbourhood Plan is consistent with the District Local Plan
• Have their say on what those new buildings should look like

Cllr King added: “Neighbourhood planning enables communities to play a much stronger role in shaping the areas in which they live and work and in supporting new development proposals. We are pleased to be able to support all our communities to deliver neighbourhood plans.”

Neighbourhood plans in the district which are ‘made’ (ie. adopted following referendum) are:

• Broughton Astley
• Billesdon
• Burton Overy
• East Langton
• Foxton
• Great Bowden
• Great Easton
• Great Glen
• Houghton on the Hill
• Hungarton
• Kibworths
• Lubenham
• Medbourne
• North Kilworth
• Saddington
• Shearsby
• Scraptoft
• South Kilworth
• Swinford

Neighbourhood plans in the district in preparation are:

• Arnesby
• Bitteswell
• Dunton Bassett
• Fleckney
• Gilmorton
• Hallaton
• High Leicestershire (Tilton, Cold Newton and Lowesby, Marefield)
• Husbands Bosworth
• Leire
• Lutterworth
• Misterton with Walcote
• Thurnby and Bushby
• Tugby and Keythorpe
• Tur Langton
• Ullesthorpe