Questions & Answers

Q: What is a neighbourhood plan? 

• A: A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led planning document written to guide the future development, regeneration and conservation of an area. In Writtle’s case, it is about the use and development of land and with the option to contain the vision, aims, planning policies and proposals for improving the whole parish, or providing new facilities and the allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. It can also deal with a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues (such as housing, employment, heritage and transport).

Q: Why do we need one? 

• A: Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. Via the vehicle of a Neighbourhood Plan, community groups are able produce documentation with real statutory weight in the planning system. Chelmsford City Council operates a system known as the Community Infrastructure Levy, which would generate enhanced funds from development within Writtle Parish if a Neighbourhood Plan is in place.  This would give the Parish Council the opportunity to choose projects within the Parish to direct the funds to.

Q: Why is this different to previous documentation? 

• A: Previous documentation, such as the Village Design Statement (2004) and the Parish Plan (2010), have been useful in providing comments, on planning, to Chelmsford City Council. However, they are advisory, only.  A Neighbourhood Plan is part of the statutory planning process and can provide guidance on design, superseding the Village Design Statement.

Q: Who is responsible for the Neighbourhood Plan? 

• A: Writtle Parish Council decided, in late 2016, that they would like a Neighbourhood Plan to be put in to place.  Requests were put out to local residents to join a Steering Group, which had its first formal meeting in December 2017, to fulfil this objective.  Please see the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group tab for details of the members, who are all volunteers.

Q: What can a Neighbourhood Plan do?

• Decide where, and what type of, development should happen in the neighbourhood.
• Include policies, for example regarding design standards, that take precedence over existing policies in the Local Plan for the neighbourhood – provided the Neighbourhood Plan policies do not conflict with the strategic policies in the Local Plan.

Q: What can’t a Neighbourhood Plan do?

• A Neighbourhood Plan cannot prevent development, nor conflict with the strategic policies in the adopted Local Plan, prepared by the local planning authority (Chelmsford City Council).