Informal consultation continues
We hosted two drop in events in the village hall in January (15th and 18th) to showcase the progress made to date. This included:
- Draft vision statement
- Draft spatial strategy
- Draft objectives for a number of different areas that the new plan will cover including: Housing, Design and Heritage, Natural Environment and Biodiversity, Transport and Infrastructure, Community and Climate Change.
- For each theme we also highlighted key national and local planning policies that the objectives will help to deliver (as we are obliged to do) and the survey evidence that indicates community support for all the objectives.
- We also put up extracts from a draft Design Code (being prepared by Government appointed consultants, AECOM) indicating the historical and landscape context of the buildings in Husthwaite and also an analysis of the key features of the village in terms of layout, building materials and styles and relationship with its rural setting.
Non-heritage assets and surveys
Also on display was a paper prepared by the Husthwaite History Society setting out a variety of historical features (buildings, street furniture, landscape etc) which should be considered as non-designated heritage assets i.e. not listed but given some level of protection by planning rules.
Finally we invited attendees to complete two surveys – one asking for feedback on the new website and one asking about interest in setting up a community shop including a willingness to volunteer some time towards this..
Attendance
About 30 Parish residents came to have a look and generally were very complimentary about the amount of work that is going into this critical project. Some very helpful feedback was provided on the wording of some objectives and this has already resulted in some minor amendments to the text.
Husthwaite PC also hosted the Local Parish Council Forum on the evening of the 15th so the display was also reviewed by parish councillors from Crayke, Coxwold, Ampleforth, Carlton Husthwaite and Brandsby, as well as North Yorkshire councillor, Nigel Knapton. Mr Knapton endorsed the importance of neighbourhood plans and all councils present indicated they were thinking of embarking on similar projects.
Accessing the documents/Next steps
The slides on the display boards have been put on the website (see here) as has the History society paper (see draft here). The shop survey has been circulated to those on the VH mailing list and anyone else who would like to see the survey can email Sheila Mowatt on sheila_mowatt@btinternet.com or contact Julia Hampshire ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk. Paper copies are available on request.
We will continue to update parish residents via the website, mailchimp and newsletter. We are happy to receive feedback or answer questions any time – just email us ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk. The next parish-wide survey will be when we seek comments on the draft plan which we hope will be in April.
Working group news
The working group are delighted that Keith Gittens has joined us as, quite apart from being another much-needed ‘pair of hands’(!), he brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge in relation to the local environment. Keith is currently helping to review the revised draft Biodiversity Appraisal which Wold Ecology has just produced and also is part of a sub-group (with David Aspinall, Alison Sawalhi and Julia Hampshire) who are preparing a Local Landscape Character Assessment. This will provide a very useful level of granular detail which means the new plan can be as effective as possible at protecting and enhancing the unique and special features of our parish.
Meanwhile AECOM has just produced the first full draft of the Design Code and Philip Hewitson and Sonia Hunter are reviewing this. Sarah Harper is leading on photographs and design, while Sheila Mowatt and Alison Sawalhi manage all things relating to communication including the website. Sheila is also our ‘documents manager’. Sam Milburn is helping with the collation of statistical evidence and community engagement. Finally, our marvellous planning consultant (grant-funded), Steve, is starting to chivvy us towards actually writing the plan building on all the consultation and evidence gathering that has gone on over the last 18 months. He has produced a somewhat daunting outline and the writing begins now!
Can you help us?
I am hugely indebted to all of the working group for their efforts – and for continuing to retain a sense of humour in our weekly project meetings! If anyone else in the Parish could give us a bit of help with the next stage, we would be very grateful. This could include:
- Acting as a ‘first reader’ for sections of the plan. This would be really helpful as we need to make sure the plan is very clear and accessible to all.
- Helping compile a statement recording all consultation events and activities
- Helping compile a Equalities Impact Assessment (using template)
- Doing some online research to obtain any missing data needed for the plan
- Preparing graphs or other diagrams to illustrate our plan
- Taking and selecting photographs to illustrate our plan
- Helping to design the visual layout of the plan and also ensuring its accessibility
- Hand delivering a letter to all households in the parish once the plan is drafted and ready to be reviewed (the ‘Reg 14 consultation’)
If you think you could help and/or want to find out a bit more about what type of commitment might be required, please email Sarah Aspinall ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk and we can find a time to speak.
Sarah Aspinall
Parish Council lead of Husthwaite Neighbourhood Plan Project