GREAT MASSINGHAM
NORFOLK

Introduction

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In May 2021, Great Massingham Parish Council agreed to start a Neighbourhood Development Plan following a collective request to do so by approximately 55 residents of the village. The Council appointed a temporary Pre-steering Group of four which subsequently expanded into a larger Steering Group and a Support Group on the basis of responses to a widely distributed recruiting leaflet Leaflet draft 3 PDF (proposed revisions 230521). The Steering Group together with the Parish Council is now responsible for preparing the NDP in consultation with residents of the parish.

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What is a Neighbourhood Development Plan?

Neighbourhood Development Plans (an outcome of the 2011 Localism Act) allow local communities to influence the use and development of land.

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A typical NPD contains

• a vision for the area

• planning policies and proposals for improvements

• allocations for specific kinds of development

• policies on issues such as housing need, environment, heritage, transport and the care and protection of green spaces

 

NDPs can be wide ranging or narrowly focussed but when complete are legally binding in the sense that local planning authorities (in our case the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council) must abide by them when making planning decisions. Preparation and content are governed by rules that ensure community engagement and compliance with national and local planning policy. Before being accepted into law, each NDP requires formal approval by residents through a referendum. Producing a Neighbourhood Development Plan is thus a slow but also thorough and highly democratic process. This means that what goes into the plan is largely in the hands of the whole village.

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How the Great Massingham NDP is organised

The NDP is being prepared by a Steering Group of 14 residents (see below) aided by a similarly-sized Support Group. The Steering Group operates in partnership with the Parish Council as a Working Party of the Council under agreed Terms of Reference. Inputs may also be needed from professional consultants and the Borough Council. The Steering Group meets at least quarterly and reports to the Parish Council. Any resident with a legitimate interest in the NDP can apply to be a member.

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in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 the Parish Council is responsible for funding the NDP, appointing external consultants, approving the Steering Group’s final draft of the NDP and its subsequent submission to the Borough Council for approval.

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Members of the Steering Group:  Gary Alexander,

Clare Carroll, Jon Cole, Jess Cunningham, *Peter James,

Phil Ward and *Mick Wingell.  *parish councillor)

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​Members are all residents of Great Massingham