Hoxne Neighbourhood Plan
Hoxne Neighbourhood Plan
The Hoxne Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) is being prepared by Hoxne Parish Council and the local community. When complete, it will be used to help guide and shape future development in the plan's area.
Latest news...
Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (21 July 2023)
New procedures, agreed in September 2021, mean that a NDP can now be advance to a referendum without Cabinet approval where there is no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations. That applies in this case, and the decision is confirmed through publication of the following statement:
As soon as we can, we will publish the referendum version of this NDP, and confirm the date of the referendum.
Previous stages...
Reg 17 Independent Examination (Final Report dated 23 June 2023)
Mid Suffolk District Council appointed Janet Cheesley BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI to carry out an independent examination of the Hoxne NDP. While the examination relied on published documentation, it also required a focused consultation exercise on a revised Basic Conditions Statement. Details of the latter are set out further below.
On 23 June 2023, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommends that, subject to modification, the Hoxne NDP meets the basic conditions and that it should proceed to a local referendum.
- Read the Hoxne NDP Final Exam Report (23 June 2023)
- See also the examination correspondence document
The regulations now require the district council to decide what action to take in response to each recommendation in the report. We will publish our decision on that as soon as
Planning Practice Guidance also provides advice on the weight to be attached to a post-examination plan.
Focused consultation on revised Basic Conditions Statement (ended 9 June 2023)
After carrying out a high-level assessment, the Examiner identified an issue with the submitted Basic Conditions Statement. In summary, it had failed to include an assessment of this NDP against adopted strategic policy. The parish council were invited to submit a revised Basic Conditions Statement, which was consulted on between 24 April and 9 June. The revised statement and the representations on this are published below:
Reg 16 Submission consultation (15 Feb to 31 Mar 2023)
In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended), the submission draft Hoxne NDP was made available for public consultation between 15 February and 31 March 2023.
The Parish Council (as the qualifying body) had formally submitted the following documents:
- A Map identifying the NDP Area
- The submission draft Hoxne NDP 2022 – 2037
- A Consultation Statement
- A Basic Conditions Statement (N.b. This is the original document, dated June 2022)
- Copies of the SEA and HRA Screening Reports and Determination Notices (see under Previous Stages section below)
- An SEA Scoping Report (AECOM, March 2022)
- An SEA Environmental Report (AECOM, June 2022)
- A copy of Natural England’s response to the parish council consultation on the above SEA Environmental Report
- A Background Evidence report
- A Site Assessment report
- A Local Green Space Assessment
- A Housing Needs Assessment Response
- A Housing Needs Assessment Report (AECOM, Nov 2020), and
- A Housing Needs Survey Report (CAS, July 2020)
- A Heritage Landscape Review
- A Landscape Assessment
- A Landscape & Biodiversity Evaluation Report (SWT, 2021)
- A Design Codes document (AECOM, Oct 2021)
- and a Traffic & Transport overview
An assessment on how this NDP meets the basic conditions will be undertaken by an Independent Examiner. Our initial check suggests that the relevant requirements have been met at this stage. View the Regulation 15 Checklist.
Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the independent examiner and, with the exception of personal contact details, be published on this website.
SEA and HRA screening and determination (Feb 2022)
The pre-submission draft NDP was screened to decide whether a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and or a habitats regulations assessment (HRA) were needed. The need for an SEA was 'screened in'. The need for an HRA was 'screened-out'. The relevant reports and determination notices are published below:
- Read the Hoxne NDP SEA Screening Report (LUC, Nov 2021)
- Read the Hoxne NDP SEA Determination Notice (Feb 2022)
- Read the Hoxne NDP HRA Screening Report (Place Services, Feb 2022)
- Read the Hoxne NDP HRA Determination Notice (Feb 2022)
Reg 14 Pre-submission Consultation (10 Jan to 23 Feb 2022)
Pre-submission consultation on the draft Hoxne NDP ended on 23 February 2022.
Please visit the parish council's website for more information.