Neighbourhood Plan for St Stephen Parish

A parish council in Park Street has embarked on the process of developing a Neighbourhood Plan which will enable the local community to influence planning applications throughout the parish. St Stephen Parish Council has already taken the first steps towards developing the Neighbourhood Plan by submitting the area within the parish boundary to the District Council for designation as the neighbourhood area. In addition, letters have been sent to every house, business and commercial concern within the parish inviting anyone who is interested in becoming involved in developing the plan to come forward – so far more than 60 people have responded and anyone else who wants to come forward and get involved should contact the parish council office. Steering groups will now be formed to help run workshops and advise the Working Party. This will ensure that the council engages with a wide cross-section of the community when developing and writing the Plan itself. Beginning on March 2 there will be an eight week consultation period by the district council on the proposed Neighbourhood Area when residents. Councillor Bill Pryce, chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Working Party, said: “The plan gives everyone in the parish the opportunity to have their say on what happens in their parish, it gives local people the power to influence and decide upon various planning matters and also ensures that the parish receives the most benefit it can from any money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy.”