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Terms of Reference for the Shrewton Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group

​These Terms of Reference were accepted and approved by Shrewton Parish Council on 7th February 2025

 

Introduction

The new government’s planning targets and policies are about to increase significantly the number of new houses to be built in Shrewton before 2030. At the same time, the amount of traffic through the village is expected to increase if alternative arrangements are not made.

 

For the second time in 12 years, Shrewton has launched the development of a Neighbourhood Plan as a legally recognised instrument for Shrewton to be able to control and influence the development of housing, infrastructure and transport within Shrewton and the external infrastructure and services upon which Shrewton depends. This second project to develop a Neighbourhood Plan draws heavily on the extensive work done during the first project. 

 

Shrewton Parish Council is formally sponsoring the Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group (NPSG) [1] to be the focus for the development and delivery of the Neighbourhood Plan.  Shrewton Parish Council will support and work closely with the NPSG to achieve this.  

 

Legal Requirements

By law, the NPSG is required to engage fully with the community, to ensure that the requirements of the community are properly reflected in the Neighbourhood Plan, to communicate widely and publicly during the Plan’s development, to incorporate comments from the Planning Inspector and the County authorities and, finally, to conduct a referendum on the Plan.  The Plan cannot be completed without a successful Referendum that evidences the support of the majority of the village.  (If more than 50% of those voting in the referendum support the draft neighbourhood plan and vote ‘yes’ it comes into force as part of the statutory development plan for the area.) [2]

 

By law, the NPSG is answerable to the community for the content in the Neighbourhood Plan and the democratic process resulting in a successful Referendum. It is also answerable to Shrewton Parish Council for the NPSG’s compliance with the law regarding the process for developing and delivering the Neighbourhood Plan, including its content.  Shrewton Parish Council is responsible to the community and Wiltshire Council for the support and assistance required by the NPSG to achieve success.  If the NPSG is not compliant with its legal obligations, then Shrewton Parish Council may take remedial steps, including withdrawal of its sponsorship.

 

The NPSG is to take account of the relevant government policies and legislation including:

  • The extant Wiltshire Core Strategy

  • The new National Planning Policy Framework with new mandatory housing targets. 

  • The Wiltshire Local Plan Review in work.

  • Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) in work.

  • Relevant MOD plans and activities affecting Shrewton and its surrounding area. 

  • Implications of the cancellation of funding for the A303 Stonehenge tunnel, including new projects resulting from the cancellation.  

  • Road Investment Strategy No 3.(2025-2030) in work.  

  • Environmental legislation, regulations and policy requirements, including the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA). 

  • Digital Communications 

  • Enterprise and business 

  • Health

  • Education. 

  • Protection and management of community assets and assets of community value within Shrewton Parish and Shrewton as a village.

 

Timeline

The Neighbourhood Plan must be delivered within the consultation timelines required by Wiltshire Council, which is expected to be less than 2 years.  The NPSG is tasked to update the timeline in the figure below and to shorten the timeline where possible by taking full advantage of the work done by and the information available from the first NPSG.  

Scope

The scope of the Plan is to address the agreed needs and requirements of the residents of Shrewton Parish, which includes consideration of all services and arrangements upon which Shrewton depends and which are located outside the Parish, such as communications, infrastructure and transportation.  It also includes interdependencies and relationships with neighbouring parishes and the Area Board, MOD (Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Larkhill Garrison) and English Heritage.  

Responsibilities

To support the NPSG [3], Shrewton Parish Council will encourage the planning for the village by: 

  • Appointing a villager to chair the NPSG Meetings and its activities. 

  • Supporting the NPSG in its communications and outreach to all organisations, businesses and individuals within the village as far as reasonably possible;

  • Helping the NPSG to engage with the MOD, Wiltshire Council, Housing Communities Agency, and other councils and authorities, as required on behalf of Shrewton's interests and in pursuit of the Neighbourhood Plan;

  • Encouraging other Parish Councils and government organisations to collaborate with the NPSG in the development of the Neighbourhood Plan, and to refer to the NPSG any other Parish Council that wishes to participate in the Neighbourhood Plan, particularly Orcheston;

  • Making sufficient time available within or in addition to Shrewton Parish Council meetings for NPSG briefings and discussions, so that all parish councillors are sufficiently informed and up to date, and able to contribute to progress;

  • Providing at least one Parish Councillor into the NPSG as an active participant and worker, not to represent the Council but to ensure adequate coordination and communication between the Council and the NPSG.  The NPSG may also propose a member of the NPSG to become a co-opted member of the Council, if that is considered to be in the common interest;

  • Providing all relevant and available documents and information;

  • Helping with necessary finance, administration, resources and logistics;

  • Channelling any helpful and relevant ideas, initiatives and activities towards the NPSG;

  • Finding and attracting sufficient villagers to participate in the NPSG and supporting working groups

  • Addressing any issues referred to it by the NPSG.

The NPSG is required to:

  • Brief the Shrewton Parish Council as a standing agenda item for the Shrewton Parish Council;

  • Conduct public meetings on at least a quarterly basis and as requested by any major village organisation;

  • Nominate one or more members of the NPSG to become Shrewton Parish Councillors as agreed with Shrewton Parish Council.

Having a Neighbourhood Plan will ensure there is adequate infrastructure for living, business, education, leisure, health, community and housing. The Council fully support the NPSG and the villagers in their commitment to producing this plan and wish them well in their endeavours.  

 

Approved by Shrewton Parish Council

 

7 February 2025

(Minutes Item 24/195)

​

References:

[1] https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/media/10463/Establish-a-steering-group-and-get-organised/pdf/Neighbourhood_Planning_-_01_Establish_a_steering_group_and_get_organised_FINAL_1.pdf?m=1695995820103

[2] https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/media/11946/Testing-and-approving-your-plan/pdf/Neighbourhood_Planning_-_03_Testing_and_approving_your_plan_FINAL_1.pdf?m=1695999606890

[3] https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/media/10463/Establish-a-steering-group-and-get-organised/pdf/Neighbourhood_Planning_-_01_Establish_a_steering_group_and_get_organised_FINAL_1.pdf?m=1695995820103

History

A brief history of our previous Neighbourhood Plan

​

As many of you will be aware, Shrewton was, at this stage in 2012, one of the leading villages in terms of NP development in the County, if not the country.  Both Central and Local government support was developing in parallel with village efforts to develop NPs. There was a large degree of uncertainty that added to the complexity of the task.

 

The NPSG completed the draft Designation application, which Shrewton Parish Council formally supported to Wilts Council for their endorsement of the Designation and the Designation Area.  

 

The NPSG created a Community Action Team that conducted meetings, briefings and drop-in sessions to a number of parties (all documented).  It published a Questionnaire online and on paper to try and get as much input and involvement as possible.  It produced a first draft NP that was released for comment, which resulted in nearly 200 comments.  These were incorporated in a second draft NP that was never released.

 

The original NPSG task was halted in Jul 2015 for reasons outside the NPSG's control that could not be resolved.  The formal dissolution of the NPSG was announced on Friday 18 March 2016.  However, as far as Wilts Council is concerned, the work on the Shrewton NP was only paused because there was no application to cancel the Designation.  The fact that this Designation is still active means that the new NPSG does not need to start again but can continue from the point it was at 9 years ago, albeit that some updates will be required.  

 

Fortunately, most of the data that had been collected was archived and has been made available to the new NPSG as it forms.  This work will need updating but it provides a solid evidence base to underpin our new NP and we owe the original NPSG a considerable debt for their work.

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