Neighbourhood Development Plan

Woodhall Spa Neighbourhood Development Plan

Our Neighbourhood Development Plan ("the Plan") is a policy based Plan. In general a Plan can contain policies and site allocations. Site allocations deal with the possible parcels of land that have been put forward by land owners for possible development. Not all land so put forward is suitable for development. The Local Planning Authority – in our case ELDC – review the available site proposals and assess the suitability for development against a number of criteria. Sites can be discounted for reasons such as availability (ELDC do not know when the site is available for development), access or other issues (such as the site is within a flood zone) and suitability (is the site within the settlement boundary). Those sites not discounted are then put forward as potential sites in the ELDC Local Plan. A potential site is not one on which development WILL happen – the normal planning application process still occurs – rather it is one on which development MAY occur.

Due to the delays in ELDC producing their current Local Plan and determining the possible sites for development in the village, along with the delays in publishing the housing requirements over the next 15 years, we decided some time ago that our Plan would not include site allocations. The reason for that decision is that our Plan cannot conflict with the LPA Local Plan. As ELDC's updated Local Plan has yet to be published and site allocations determined, we would have to wait for the Local Plan to be published to ensure there were no conflicts; that could potentially delay our Plan until 2016.

We have completed a number of consultations all aimed at understanding the issues and concerns that residents have about the future development of the village. The stage we at now is that all the various issues and concerns have been analysed by our consultants and a draft Plan produced. The Plan contains 20 Policies and we are now consulting with you on the content of those policies. The Policy topics are:

  • Sustainable Development
  • Development in the Conservation Area
  • Principles for New Development
  • Energy Efficiency of New Development
  • Pre-Application Consultation
  • Allocation of Affordable Housing
  • Housing Type
  • Improve Green Infrastructure and the Natural Environment
  • Non-Vehicular Movement Around the Village and to Tourist Destinations
  • Local Green Spaces
  • Possible Development in the Vicinity of the River Witham
  • Redevelopment of the Spa Baths
  • Development around the Spa Baths Building
  • Possible Residential Development on the Edge of the Village
  • Infill Development
  • Strengthening the Retail Centre
  • Design of Shop Frontages in the Village Centre
  • Supporting Local Business Growth
  • Vehicle Parking in and around the Village Centre
  • Car Parking on New Development

You will find the Policies and the consultation questionnaire using the links provided or on the March 2015 Consultation page. We would be grateful for complete forms to be returned to use via e-mail – parish.clerk@woodhallspaparishcouncil.gov.uk – or to the PC offices at 17 Stanhope Ave.

Remember the purpose of the Plan is not to stop development but to manage it and control it so that the village grows the way we want it to.

If YOU have any comments or would like to get involved in the process, have your say on future development, and help the Parish Council to plan the future of the area then please contact us.

Using this link, you can view the current progress on the ELDC website:  Woodhall Spa Neighbourhood Development Plan.