Neighbourhood Plan

What is a neighbourhood plan?

Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to have a say in the future of the places where they live and work. It gives you the power to produce a plan with real legal weight that directs development in your local area. It helps:

• choose where you want new homes, shops and offices to be built
• have your say on what those new buildings should look like
• grant planning permission for the new buildings you want to see go ahead
• other aspects of village life including social facilities, connectivity, education, environment and other key issues.

Groups can get tailored advice, support and grants to develop their neighbourhood plans which must fit with the District Council's Local Plan.

The main premise for the Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that developments going forward meet all of the stringent conditions placed on it by the Planning Inspector.

What is Bottisham doing regarding a neighbourhood plan?

A consultation via Survey Monkey and paper based in The Cresset took place back in October 2023 asking for views on the way Bottisham should develop over the next ten years or so.

A Bottisham Neighbourhood Plan Working Group (BWG) has been created and meeting dates will be uploaded here and also notified in the monthly editions of The Cresset.

This comprises residents and Councillors and currently numbers twelve members.

This is a village wide project. The total process is facilitated by the BWG as an off shoot of the Parish Council.

The group has been active over the past few months collating all of the input arising from the 2023 village consultation.

Why is a Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is necessary?

Neighbourhood Planning provides the opportunity for communities to set out a positive vision for how they want their community to develop over the next 10, 15, 20 years in ways that meet identified local need and make sense for local people.

An NP is even more necessary now with the unrelenting expansion of Cambridge into the countryside and the pressure this has and will continue to place on pastoral land in Bottisham.

The construction of ‘executive style’ homes will only limit the number of homes for our young people and homes for those wanting to downsize.

Who is helping the BWG?

A company, Nupremis, has been commissioned to guide us through the process and to help source demographic and geographical data.

How is the Neighbourhood Plan currently being financed?

The finance for this has been made possible by an annual grant provided by Central Government.

Will the Neighbourhood Plan be enforceable / legal?

Once brought into legal force the NP will form part of the statutory local development plan.In this way communities will be able to choose where they want new homes, shops and business units to be built, have their say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided. This is a powerful set of tools for local people to plan for the types of local development to meet local community needs.

What information has been gathered so far from the survey?

We had a good response from the survey, so thank you.

Analysis of the villages Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (otherwise known as a SWOT Analysis) has been created to help guide the BWG to form a collective community vision. There will be issues that can’t be delivered, or that sit outside of the remit of a NP, or are over ambitious or not pragmatic at this stage. However, with the help of the SWOT, 4 foremost priorities have been identified by the BWG who are working on the objectives needed for delivering these:

a) Housing Needs

b) Natural Environment

c) Facilities and Services

d) Climate Change

SWOT Analysis Draft 1

When will we see the Neighbourhood Plan?

When completed the draft NP will be presented for local community consent in the form of a public presentation and a formal referendum.

In the meantime if you have any questions related to the Neighbourhood Plan then please email: neighbourhoodplan@bottisham-pc.gov.uk