Neighbourhood planning inventory and consultation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbourhood Planning: Making the Plan

There are four parts to making the Plan.

1. Producing an inventory of everything in Wollaston and its parish, e.g. shops, housing, businesses, schools, recreational facilities, environmental assets etc. This was completed in April 2012.

2. Consulting the Wollaston community to discover what they value in Wollaston and would like to keep, do not like about Wollaston and would like to see improved and to discover what Wollaston does not have and what it might be realistic to try and achieve. To ensure everybody in the village knows about this, in addition to our Launch Event in April, every house in Wollaston had a leaflet dropped through the letterbox and every business had a letter. This consultation was started in April 2012 and will continue throughout the summer.

3. Based on the information gathered from 1 and 2 above the Steering Group will put together a plan for the future of Wollaston.  Work on this will start in the autumn and take at least a year.

4. When the draft Plan is ready, the Wollaston community will have the opportunity to see and comment on it.  We anticipate this happening in late 2013 or early 2014.

The following show the questions we have put to the Wollaston community to help us make the Plan.  Each page covers a different aspect of Wollaston.

Get involved

If you would like to let us know what you think, contact us at wollastonplan@gmx.com or WNP Steering Group, 3 London Road, Wollaston NN29 7QP.

 

Inventory and consultation

Local facilities and services

Government policy
Planning policies should: plan positively for community facilities and other local services; and guard against their unnecessary loss.

Wollaston facts
The wide range of local facilities and services are of major importance to the quality of life and vitality of Wollaston.

These facilities include:

• a number of shops;
• take-away facilities and a cafe´;
• public houses and social clubs;
• a library;
• a cemetery;
• allotments;
• children’s play facilities;
• sports facilities, including a swimming pool;
• a primary and a secondary school;
• a pocket park;
• several places of worship;
• two doctors’ surgeries;
• several community halls / centres; and
• a post office and cash machine facilities.

What do you think?

Are you aware of any local facilities not shown on the map?

• How might local shops and other services be retained?
• Are there new facilities and services that might realistically be provided?
• Where should these new facilities be located and how might they be funded?
• Should local shops be encouraged to locate close to each other and, if so, where might be the best location for this?
• Are there other issues related to local facilities and services that the Plan should try to address?

Building a stronger economy

Government policy

Planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas.  Neighbourhood plans should promote the diversification of agriculture; rural tourism and leisure development which respects the character of the countryside;  and the retention / development of local services and community facilities.

Wollaston facts

• Employment in knowledge driven production (e.g. chemicals) is higher in Wollaston (19.4%) than nationally (3.2%).
• Employment in knowledge-based services, such as research and development is lower (13.3%) than nationally (21.5%)
• The proportion of the workforce that is self- employed in Wollaston (10%) is lower than nationally (12.2%)
• 35.7% of the workforce is employed in businesses with fewer than 10 people compared to 21% nationally
• 1.7% of the working age population is in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance compared to 4.1% nationally.

What do you think?

• What practical measures might be taken to ensure that Wollaston is an effective location for business?
• Are there existing sites that should be safeguarded for employment?
• What sort of jobs should be promoted?
• What sort of premises and facilities are needed?
• Are there any sites that might be suitable for employment?
• Do you have any concerns about the impact that new employment might have on the environment?
• What types of farm diversification, tourism and leisure development should be supported?
• Are there other employment issues that the Plan should try to address?
  

Making Wollaston a greener place

Government policy

Planning policies should:

• Identify, for special protection, green areas of particular importance to the local community for their beauty, historic significance, tranquillity or richness of wildlife.  These green areas must not relate to extensive tracts of land;
• Protect and enhance public rights of way; and
• Minimise impacts on biodiversity and enhance biodiversity.
  

Wollaston facts

Within the Parish there are a wide range of green spaces, including:

• habitats for wildlife;
• the pocket park;
• outdoor sports facilities and play areas;
• allotments;
• public footpaths;
• amenity greenspace, including highway verges and areas at entrances to the village;
• the cemetery;
• land which provides important views into / across / out from the village.
  

Some of these areas are already protected.  For example, part of the Nene valley, including Summer Leys Local Nature Reserve, has been designated as a Special Protection Area and Ramsar Site of international significance for over-wintering birds.

What do you think?

• Which areas of local greenspace are particularly important to you and why?
• Are there areas of greenspace that need to be enhanced and, if so, in what way?
• Are there places where green corridors (for people and/or wildlife) could be created along natural features or roads?
• Are there places where trees, shrubs or hedges should be planted to form views, provide shelter, give spaces a sense of enclosure, soften or screen unattractive buildings or increase biodiversity?
• What opportunities might there be to enhance the public right of way system?

Providing for housing needs

Government policy

Planning policies should plan for housing development in rural areas to reflect local needs, particularly for affordable housing. A Neighbourhood Plan should not promote less development than is set out in the planning policies of the Borough Council.

Wollaston facts

• At April 2011, planning permission existed for 23 new homes, of which 16 were under construction.
• A 2011 survey identified a current need for 39 homes for rent and for 10 shared-ownership properties. It did not assess the need for market housing.
• There is no up-to-date information on housing tenure. In 2001, however, 79% of dwellings were owner occupied, compared to 68% nationally.
• The population of the Wollaston Ward (this includes Grendon and Strixton) is estimated at 3939.

What do you think?

• What sort of market housing is needed and why?
• How might we determine what the local need for more housing might be over the next 10 to 20 years?
• Are there any sites that might be suitable for new homes?
• What benefits would you want new housing to bring to Wollaston?
• Do you have concerns about the impact of new housing and how might these concerns be addressed?
• What provision should be made for people wishing to build their own homes?
• Are there other housing issues that the Plan should seek to address?

Improving transport and connectivity

Government policy

• The transport system needs to give people a real choice about how they travel.
• Encouragement should be given to solutions that reduce greenhouse gas omissions.
• Developments should give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements; create safe and secure layouts; and incorporate facilities for ultra-low emission vehicles
  

Wollaston facts

• In 2001, over 70% of people from Wollaston travelled to work by car; 11% worked from home; 12% walked to work and 4.5% either used the bus or cycled.
• In 2001, 85.5% of households in Wollaston owned a car compared to 73.2% nationally.
• There is an hourly bus service to Wellingborough and a two hourly service to Northampton until the early evening. There is no service on a Sunday.
• A ‘dial a ride’ service to Wellingborough is available up to 5pm on Tuesdays and Fridays.
  

What do you think?

• What would encourage you to travel less frequently by car? (e.g. more jobs in Wollaston)
• What needs to be done to encourage cycling and to make it safer?
• How might public transport be improved?
• Are there road crossings that are not well positioned or places where new road crossings are needed?
• Are there places where the speed or volume of traffic is of concern?
• Are there streets which should be adapted as places for people on foot (by calming traffic or widening pavements, for example)?
• Are there places where parking should be improved, controlled or reduced?
• Are there other issues that the Neighbourhood Plan ought to address?

Making Wollaston a special place

Government policy

Planning policies should:

• promote high quality/inclusive development, resulting in:
  • attractive places to live, work and visit;
  • an appropriate mix of uses;
  • places that reflect local surroundings, character, history and materials; and
  • safe and accessible environments.
• Protect and enhance the built and historic environment; and
• Encourage the use of renewable resources, including renewable energy.
  

Wollaston facts

• The centre of Wollaston is designated as a Conservation Area.
• The Parish contains a number of listed buildings - the majority of which are in the Conservation Area.
• The Conservation Area includes the ancient castle earthwork of Beacon Hill, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
  

What do you think?

• Are there heritage assets (such as buildings that are not listed, sites, areas or landscapes) that ought to be protected because of their heritage interest?
• Are there particular streets, squares or spaces which are not in the conservation area but ought to be protected or enhanced?
• What aspects of Wollaston’s history might be reflected in new development?
• Are there places where works of art (e.g sculpture, paving) could enhance the place’s character?
• Are there local building forms and materials that should inspire what is built today?
• What options for the generation of renewable energy are suitable and desirable in Wollaston?
• How might the Plan encourage the use of other renewable resources?

Download the inventory and consultation information (PDF).

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