Making the decision to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan
In 2014 with the Parish Plan 2008-2012 out of date the Parish Council decided to investigate the process for creating a Neighbourhood Plan due to the benefits offered.
Planning the way forward
Various preparatory steps were then taken. A meeting was held with a representative from a local Parish Council who had already made considerable progress in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan. Contact was also made with East Cambridgeshire District Council to make them aware of our plans and to discuss how best to work with them.
Designating the Neighbourhood Area
The next stage was to designate the boundaries for the Neighbourhood Plan. After some consideration the decision was made to use the Parish Council boundaries as the issues facing the neighbouring villages and their requirements for the future were different to ours. A six week Consultation ran from 19 November until 31 December 2014. The District Council approved the Sutton Parish Council’s application to designate a Neighbourhood Area at their meeting on 8 January 2015.
A survey was distributed to all houses in the village in January 2015. This provided residents with their first real opportunity to contribute to the Neighbourhood Plan.
An Open Forum was held on 19 February 2015 at which residents had the opportunity to hear about the results of the survey and to learn more about Neighbourhood Plans in general.
An Open Day was held at the Glebe onSaturday 3 October 2015 aimed at gathering information from residents for the purpose of formulating the Vision, Aims and Objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan.
A second survey was held in January 2016. The purpose of this was to provide residents with the opportunity of commenting on the proposed objectives that came out of the Open Day.
A Business Forum was held at the Elean Business Park on 19 May 2016 to gain the views of local businesses on what we require for the future.
A set up draft policies were developed and published in July 2016 in the Parish Council Summer Newsletter and on the Neighbourhood Plan website with an online survey used to collect feedback.
The Draft Neighbourhood Plan launch on 24 March 2018 at the Glebe in Sutton. A series of displays expected the process, history and Neighbourhood Plan proposals. You can find out here.
The Pre-Submission Consultation began on Monday 16 July 2018 after the finalised draft Neighbourhood Plan document was formally approved at the Parish Council meeting on 26 June 2018. The consultation ran through toMonday 10 September 2018.
More details of the consultations that have taken place can be found here: Details of Consultations.
Developing the Policies
In the first stages of engaging with residents to seek their views the Neighbourhood Plan Working Party developed a Vision, Aims and Objectives. Later consultation was focussed on the development of Plan Policies and also Community Actions. See the Policies page for more details.
Independent Examination
The Neighbourhood Plan Working Party worked together with a planning consultant to review the feedback from the Pre-Submission Consultation and revise the draft Neighbourhood Plan document. The updated document was presented and agreed by the Parish Council on 27 November 2018 before being submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council for Independent Examination the following day. The district council reviewed the plan together with supporting documents and confirmed that the plan met the statutory requirements. It therefore proceeded to examination.
There was a public consultation organised by the district council which closed on 17 January 2019 after which the plan was examined by the Independent Examiner. Here is the Sutton Neighbourhood Submission Plan November 2018.
The Independent Examiner issued his report in early March 2019. This recommended a number of modifications which needed to be made to the plan before it was submitted to a referendum. The plan underwent minor modifications in response to the examiner’s recommendations.
The Referendum
On Thursday 21 March East Cambridgeshire District Council issued a Decision Statement which meant that the Sutton Neighbourhood Plan went to a referendum of residents on Thursday 2 May 2019.
Here is the Sutton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version March 2019 which parish residents voted on when the referendum was held. A total of 1105 votes (90.5%) were cast in favour of the plan and just 116 (9.5%) against the plan.
Making of the Plan
The Sutton Neighbourhood Plan was then formally adopted by a unanimous vote at the full council of East Cambridgeshire District Council here on 30 May 2019.
Review of the Plan
At the start of 2021 Sutton Parish Council agreed it was time to review and update the ‘Made’ Sutton Neighbourhood Plan (May 2019). The Council appointed Mr Ian Poole, Places4People, as its planning consultant.
An initial grant was applied for to cover the planning consultant costs. It was also noted that the parish council could obtain technical support to provide a Housing Needs Assessment and a Sutton Design Code. This work was undertaken during 2021 and the final documents can be found here.
The working party then undertook a review of the Neighbourhood Plan Policies. A public event was held on Saturday 19th March 2022, in The Glebe, Sutton. Residents were be able to view the work to date, and comment on the draft policies.
History
Making the decision to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan
In 2014 with the Parish Plan 2008-2012 out of date the Parish Council decided to investigate the process for creating a Neighbourhood Plan due to the benefits offered.
Planning the way forward
Various preparatory steps were then taken. A meeting was held with a representative from a local Parish Council who had already made considerable progress in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan. Contact was also made with East Cambridgeshire District Council to make them aware of our plans and to discuss how best to work with them.
Designating the Neighbourhood Area
The next stage was to designate the boundaries for the Neighbourhood Plan. After some consideration the decision was made to use the Parish Council boundaries as the issues facing the neighbouring villages and their requirements for the future were different to ours. A six week Consultation ran from 19 November until 31 December 2014. The District Council approved the Sutton Parish Council’s application to designate a Neighbourhood Area at their meeting on 8 January 2015.
More details of the designation consultation and decision can be found here: Plan Area Designation details.
Gaining the views of residents
More details of the consultations that have taken place can be found here: Details of Consultations.
Developing the Policies
In the first stages of engaging with residents to seek their views the Neighbourhood Plan Working Party developed a Vision, Aims and Objectives. Later consultation was focussed on the development of Plan Policies and also Community Actions. See the Policies page for more details.
Independent Examination
The Neighbourhood Plan Working Party worked together with a planning consultant to review the feedback from the Pre-Submission Consultation and revise the draft Neighbourhood Plan document. The updated document was presented and agreed by the Parish Council on 27 November 2018 before being submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council for Independent Examination the following day. The district council reviewed the plan together with supporting documents and confirmed that the plan met the statutory requirements. It therefore proceeded to examination.
There was a public consultation organised by the district council which closed on 17 January 2019 after which the plan was examined by the Independent Examiner. Here is the Sutton Neighbourhood Submission Plan November 2018.
The Independent Examiner issued his report in early March 2019. This recommended a number of modifications which needed to be made to the plan before it was submitted to a referendum. The plan underwent minor modifications in response to the examiner’s recommendations.
The Referendum
On Thursday 21 March East Cambridgeshire District Council issued a Decision Statement which meant that the Sutton Neighbourhood Plan went to a referendum of residents on Thursday 2 May 2019.
Here is the Sutton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version March 2019 which parish residents voted on when the referendum was held. A total of 1105 votes (90.5%) were cast in favour of the plan and just 116 (9.5%) against the plan.
Making of the Plan
The Sutton Neighbourhood Plan was then formally adopted by a unanimous vote at the full council of East Cambridgeshire District Council here on 30 May 2019.
Review of the Plan
At the start of 2021 Sutton Parish Council agreed it was time to review and update the ‘Made’ Sutton Neighbourhood Plan (May 2019). The Council appointed Mr Ian Poole, Places4People, as its planning consultant.
An initial grant was applied for to cover the planning consultant costs. It was also noted that the parish council could obtain technical support to provide a Housing Needs Assessment and a Sutton Design Code. This work was undertaken during 2021 and the final documents can be found here.
Sutton Cambs HNA Report Final 2021
Sutton Design Code Final
The working party then undertook a review of the Neighbourhood Plan Policies. A public event was held on Saturday 19th March 2022, in The Glebe, Sutton. Residents were be able to view the work to date, and comment on the draft policies.