Parish targeted for new ‘garden village’ to draw up its own neighbourhood plan

A parish council set to see more than 1,000 houses built in its area in the coming years has taken the first step to getting more say in future developments.

With the proposed Tasley Garden Village being considered as part of Shropshire Council’s new draft local plan, the authority has agreed to designate the parish a ‘neighbourhood plan area’.

It means the parish council, with input from local residents, can now draw up its own neighbourhood plan setting out policies that developers will have to take into account when putting forward new planning applications.

The geographic area to be covered by the plan was approved by Shropshire Council’s cabinet at a meeting on Wednesday.

Councillor Ed Potter, deputy leader and cabinet member for planning, said: “We know from the National Planning Policy Framework that neighbourhood plans hold weight, so this is a good move, moving forward, for communities to have a say in development within their area.”

Councillor Potter also stressed that approval of the neighbourhood area did not deal with any matters related to the content of the plan.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gwilym Butler, cabinet member for finance, who represents Cleobury Mortimer.

He said: “I was delighted last autumn to be invited to attend Tasley Parish Council, both in my previous role as portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhood planning, but also the fact that Cleobury Mortimer is coming towards the end of their neighbourhood plan and hope to go to referendum this year.

“The meeting was good, we had a very frank and proactive conversation on the ups and downs of the process.

“I am more than happy to second this and offer my help moving forward.”

Councillor Julia Buckley, leader of the Labour group, welcomed the step and thanked Councillor Butler for his presentation to the parish council.

She said: “It is particularly important for this parish to be supported in this action because Tasley is a very small village that’s about to receive 1,600 houses through both the previous local plan and the incoming local plan.

“This is a really good case study of how a small community is being proactive to shape the design that goes forward from the local plan.”

Now the neighbourhood area has been designated, the parish council can formally begin the process of drawing up the plan, which, once complete, will be subject to public consultation, examination and a local referendum.

If a majority of voters support it, Shropshire Council will be asked to adopt the final version to become part of the statutory development plan for the area.

It cannot however conflict with Shropshire Council’s own local plan, which is currently being examined by government-appointed planning inspectors and is expected to be adopted later this year or in early 2023.

The final neighbourhood plan will therefore need to recognise the Tasley Garden Village proposals.

A seven-week consultation on the proposed neighbourhood area ended on January 28, prompting five responses of which none were objections.