Decision details

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Director of Place seeking approval for the recommended modifications made in the Examiner’s Report and seeking approval for the Crediton Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to referendum.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the contents of the report and stated that Crediton Town Council had been preparing a Neighbourhood Plan following the designation of the neighbourhood area in July 2014.  The neighbourhood area covered the parish of Crediton. The preparation of the neighbourhood plan had included consultation on a pre-submission draft plan in 2019 and consultation on a regulation 16 publication plan in late 2021. The Neighbourhood Plan had since been examined and Mid Devon District Council received the final Examiner’s report on 13^th May this year.

There was now a need for the Council to consider the Examiner’s recommended modifications and reach a decision as to whether the Crediton Neighbourhood Plan with the Examiner’s recommended modifications and a typographical correction be agreed, and that the plan proceeds to a local referendum.

Should the recommendations to Cabinet be agreed then once that decision comes into effect, a Decision Statement will be published and a local referendum will be arranged in accordance with the relevant regulation requirements. It is likely that this local referendum would take place in late September or early October this year. Following the local referendum, if more than 50% of those voting, vote ‘yes’ then the Neighbourhood Plan will come into force as part of the statutory development plan for the Crediton area. The Neighbourhood Plan must be ‘made’ within eight weeks of the local referendum through its formal adoption by the Council.

The Planning Policy Advisory Group had noted the recommendations of this report at its meeting on the 17^th June.

RESOLVED that

a.    The Examiner’s modifications be agreed, and that subject to these modifications the Crediton Neighbourhood Plan is determined to meet the Basic Conditions (as defined in Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Sch 4B) and other legislative requirements;

b.    The Decision Statement attached at Appendix 2 be approved; and

c.    The Crediton Neighbourhood Plan (at Appendix 3) subject to the Examiner’s modifications and the typographical correction to the title of Map 5 Views, proceed to a local Referendum based on the boundary of Crediton Neighbourhood Area.

(Proposed by Cllr R Chesterton and seconded by Cllr Mrs C Daw)

Reason for decision:

The Examiner has undertaken a fair examination of the submitted Neighbourhood Plan, properly considering all duly made representations.

Note: *Report previously circulated, attached to the minutes.