Elmswell Neighbourhood Plan
The Elmswell Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been prepared by the Parish Council and local community and will be used to help guide and shape future development in the parish.
Reg 20 Formal adoption (24 Nov 2023)
In an ‘out of meeting’ decision published on Friday 24 November 2023, Mid Suffolk District Council agreed to adopt ('make') the Elmswell NDP.
This NDP, which covers the plan period to 2037, now forms part of the development plan and will be used to help determine planning applications in the parish unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Supporting Evidence
The following documents provide supporting evidence for the adopted NDP.
Previous stages...
Local Referendum (21 Nov 2023)
A local referendum on the Elmswell NDP took place on Tuesday 21 November 2023. The question asked of those entitled to vote was: “Do you want Mid Suffolk District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Elmswell to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area?”
- See the Declared Result (a majority yes vote)
Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (14 Sept 2023)
New procedures, agreed in September 2021, meant that a NDP could be advance to a referendum without Cabinet approval where there is no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations. That applied in this case, and the decision was confirmed through publication of the following statement:
Reg 17 Independent Examination (Final Report 31 Aug 2023)
Mid Suffolk District Council appointed Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FHEA FRSA AoU to carry out an independent examination of the Elmswell NDP. The examination included a two-week consultation on a proposed amendment to the settlement boundary.
On Thursday 31 August 2023, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommended that subject to certain modifications, this NDP met the basic conditions and that it should proceed to a local referendum.
- Read the Elmswell NDP Exam Report (31 Aug 2023)
- See also the Examination Correspondence document
- See the Settlement Boundary consultation letter (Aug 2023)
- See the Settlement Boundary consultation responses (Aug 2023)
Reg 16 Submission consultation (6 Mar to 26 Apr 2023)
The submission draft Elmswell NDP was made available for public consultation between 6 March and 26 April 2023. The Parish Council (the qualifying body) had formally submitted the following documents:
- A Map identifying the NDP Area
- The submission draft Elmswell NDP 2022 – 2037
- A Consultation Statement
- A Basic Conditions Statement
- Copies of the SEA and HRA Screening Reports and Determination Notices (see further below)
- Two supporting evidence documents (now published above with the adopted NDP)
An assessment on how this NDP met the basic conditions formed part of the examination. At the time of submission, our initial check suggested that the relevant procedural requirements had been met. View the Regulation 15 Checklist.
Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the examiner and, with the exception of personal details, be published on this website.
SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (Oct 2022)
The pre-submission draft NDP was screened was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) were needed. Both were 'screened-out'. The relevant reports and determination notices are published below:
- Read the Elmswell NDP SEA Screening Report (LUC, Aug 2022)
- Read the Elmswell NDP SEA Determination Notice (Oct 2022)
- Read the Elmswell NDP HRA Screening Report (LUC, Aug 2022)
- Read the Elmswell NDP HRA Determination Notice (Oct 2022)
Reg 14 Pre-submission consultation (11 May - 1 July 2022)
Consultation on the pre-submission draft Elmswell NDP by the parish parish council closed on 1 July 2022