Wetheringsett cum Brockford Neighbourhood Plan
The Wetheringsett cum Brockford 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 Plan's area.
Reg 20 Formal adoption (27 Nov 2024)
In an 'out of meeting' decision published on Wednesday 27 November 2024, Mid Suffolk District Council agreed to adopt ('make') the Wetheringsett cum Brockford 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.
- Read the adopted Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP
- See the adoption Decision Statement
- See the 'out of meeting' request
Supporting Evidence
The following documents act as supporting evidence for this NDP:
- Design Guidelines (AECOM, Oct 2023)
- Housing Needs Assessment Report (AECOM, Oct 2022)
- An Environmental Assets Report (Mar 2024)
Previous stages...
Local Referendum (21 Nov 2024)
A local referendum on the Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP was held on 21 November 2024. The question asked of those entitled to vote was: "Do you want Mid Suffolk District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Wetheringsett cum Brockford to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Plan Area?"
- See the declared result (a majority yes vote)
Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (16 July 2024)
New procedures agreed in September 2021 meant that a NDP could be advanced to a referendum without Cabinet approval where there was no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations in full. That applied in this case, and the decision was confirmed through publication of the following statement:
Reg 17 Independent Examination (Final Report - 8 July 2024)
Mid Suffolk District Council asked Janet Cheesley BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI to resume her examination of this NDP following its re-submission and public consultation in spring 2024. The examination was conducted through written correspondence.
On 8 July 2024, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommended that, subject to certain modifications, this NDP met the basic condition tests and that it should proceed to a local referendum.
- Read the Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP Exam Report (8 July 2024)
- See also the Examination Correspondence document
Reg 16 Submission consultation (18 March to 3 May 2024)
The second submission draft Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP was made available for public consultation between 18 March and 3 May 2024.
The Parish Council (the qualifying body) had formally submitted the following documents:
- A Map identifying the NDP Area
- The 2nd submission draft Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP 2022 – 2037
- An updated Consultation Statement (Feb 2024)
- An updated Basic Conditions Statement (Feb 2024)
- Copies of the SEA and HRA Screening Reports and our Determination Notice (see under Previous Stages section below)
- A number of other supporting documents (now published above with the adopted NDP)
An assessment on how this NDP met the basic condition tests formed part of the examination. At the time of submission our initial checks suggest that the relevant procedural requirements had been met. See our Regulation 15 Checklist (Mar 2024)
Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the independent examiner and, with the exception of personal details, be published on this website. The parish council were also given the opportunity to respond to any new issues raised at this stage.
- Read the R16 Representations (includes the parish council response)
SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (Jan 2024)
The second pre-submission draft NDP was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Assessment (HRA) were required. Both were 'screened-out'. The relevant reports and our determination notice are published below:
- Read the Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP SEA Screening Report (LUC, Oct 2023)
- Read the Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP HRA Screening Report (LUC, Oct 2023)
- Read the Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP SEA HRA Determination Notice (Jan 2024)
Reg 14 Pre-submission consultation (16 Oct – 30 Nov 2023)
Consultation on the second pre-submission draft NDP ended on 30 November 2023.
First draft Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP
By May 2023, the first submission draft Wetheringsett cum Brockford NDP had reached the examination stage but was then withdrawn by the parish council following a high level review of the plan that had been undertaken by the Examiner (Janet Cheesley). This had identified that, however unintentional, the draft NDP had allocated a site for housing development. The documents relating to the first draft NDP have been archived from this webpage to avoid confusion.