Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented the recommendation to Council. She said that Neighbourhood Plans gave communities the power to identify local priorities to shape development in their area. She described the changes to the Walkern Neighbourhood Plan and said that it did not allocate sites for development because the District Plan housing target has already been achieved in the village.

Councillor Glover-Ward proposed that the recommendation in the report be supported. Councillor Deffley seconded the proposal.

Councillor Crystall said it was positive that Walkern had got an updated Neighbourhood Plan and the parish council were actively engaged in the process.

The motion to support the recommendation having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED - That the Walkern Neighbourhood Plan First Revision 2021- 2033, be formally made.

The Leader of the Council said that the recommendation needed to be amended to say ‘To recommend to Council’.

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented the report. She said that the existing Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2018 and that this was the first revision of the plan. Walkern  Parish Council have undertaken the revision to take into account the adoption of the District Plan (2018) and the impact of growth on the east of Stevenage. The revised plan seeks to  protect the character of the village and the local environment. Itdefines a countryside gap, allocates   two new local green spaces and sets out a tree charter to protect important trees. The Executive Member said that an Independent Planning Examiner had reviewed the plan and said that the changes proposed were not sufficient to require a referendum..

Councillor Glover-Ward proposed that the recommendations in the report be supported. Councillor Goldspink seconded the proposal.

Councillor Crystall welcomed the plan and said it was a positive step for the community.

The motion to support the recommendations having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – to recommend to Council that (A) the recommendations and modifications made by the Independent Examiner of the Walkern Neighbourhood Plan First Revision, as detailed in Appendix A to this report, be received and considered;

B)     the Walkern Neighbourhood Plan First Revision 2021- 2033, as detailed in Appendix B to this report, be formally made.