Purpose

1.           
Thepurpose ofthis
decisionis toagree onthe proposeddesignation ofthe parishof Girton
as a Neighbourhood Area (NA). (See Appendix A – the
application submitted by Girton Parish Council (PC)).
 
Background
 

2.           
A NA must be
designated before a PC can prepare a Neighbourhood Plan (NP).There
are national regulations guiding how this designation should be
carried out which were revised in February 2015 and in October
2016.

 

3.           
The 2016 revision to
the regulations state that a local planning authority must
designate a Neighbourhood Area if it receives a valid application
and some or all of the area has not yet been designated (see
section 61G(5) of the Town and Country
Planning Act 1990 Act as applied to Neighbourhood plans by section
38A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004). Where a PC
has applied for the whole of their parish to be designated the
local planning authority must designate all
of the area applied for.

 

4.           
A valid Neighbourhood
Area application is one where a ‘relevant body1’ has
submitted an application to the local
planning authority that must include:

 

·        
amap whichidentifies
thearea towhich thearea applicationrelates

·        
a statement explaining
why this area is considered appropriate to be designated as a
neighbourhood area; and

·        
astatement thatthe
organisationor bodymaking thearea
applicationis arelevant body for the purposes of section 61G of the
1990 Act.

 

Theapplication fromGirton ParishCouncil
 

5.           
The application from
Girton Parish Council is for the whole of their parish to be
designated as a Neighbourhood Area. None of this area has been
previously designated for neighbourhood
planning purposes and the application includes all the information
required.

 

Considerationby SouthCambridgeshire DistrictCouncil
 

6.           
South Cambridgeshire
District Council (SCDC) is supportive of Girton PC preparing a NP
for its parish and keen for the two councils to work together in
considering the future development of the area. SCDC recognises that by preparing a NP the PC aims to
play a key role alongside SCDC in shaping the future of the
village.
 

7.           
SCDC considers that
the application submitted by Girton Parish Council is valid and
therefore that the parish of Girton should be designated as a
Neighbourhood Area.

 

LocalDevelopment Scheme

 

8.           
The Local Development
Scheme (LDS) sets out the planning documents that SCDC and
Cambridge City Council proposes to prepare. A section in the LDS
lists the Neighbourhood Areas designated within the Greater
Cambridge area. As Girton NA is being recommended for designation
it is proposed that an amendment be made to the section of the LDS
when it is next reviewed.
 

Content

That the Joint Director for Planning and
EconomicDevelopment, havingconsulted with the Planning Lead Member,
approves:

a)           
The designation of a
Neighbourhood Area for Girton as proposed by the Parish
Council.

b)           
An amendment to be made to
the    section about
Neighbourhood Areas of the Local Development Scheme when the LDS is
next reviewed so that Girton can be added to the list of
Neighbourhood Areas designated within the District.