Agenda item

The Director of Regeneration and Culture and the Executive Member for Regeneration submitted a report, the purpose of which was to seek approval of the Modified Marton West Neighbourhood Plan.

The Executive Member for Regeneration advised that, when adopted, the Marton West Neighbourhood Plan would form part of the Council’s Policy Framework. Prior to its adoption, the Council needed to make a decision to approve the Plan, taking into account the recommendations of the Independent Examiner, so that a referendum could take place. The decision to approve Neighbourhood Plans was a non-Executive function, and must be made the Borough Council, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000, and the Council’s constitution.

The plan was originally adopted in 2016, however as a consequence of recent Ward boundary changes, part of the Coulby Newham Ward covering Newham Hall, Brass Castle Lane and De Brus Park areas, now lay within the Marton West Ward. The existing adopted Neighbourhood Plan for Marton West, did not therefore cover these areas, due to them not being within the Ward at the time of its preparation.

The Council agreed to extend the Marton West Neighbourhood Area to incorporate those areas excluded from the designated area, and which now formed part of the amended Ward boundary. It was also agreed that an early review should be undertaken, by the Marton West Neighbourhood Forum, of the adopted 2016 Marton West Neighbourhood Plan, in order to take account of the amended designated Neighbourhood Area. The Marton West Neighbourhood Forum subsequently submitted a modified draft Neighbourhood Plan to the Council for examination in July 2020, incorporating the boundary changes, updating relevant adopted planning policies to reflect the enlarged Neighbourhood Area boundary, and to include additional proposed open space designations.

The Independent Examination into the modified Plan was undertaken in December 2020. The Examiner’s Report was issued at the end of January 2021, and recommended that the modified Plan should proceed to referendum stage of the Neighbourhood Planning process, subject to some minor amendments being made.

The Executive Member thanked those involved in reviewing the plan.

Councillor Cooper queried whether the modified plan would offer protection from being built on to Bonny Grove Park, wetlands at land at West Moor Farm (previously identified as Sudbury Pond) and Fairy Dell. Councillor C Hobson confirmed that the plan would offer these areas protection.

Councillor Smiles stated that the Modified Marton West Neighbourhood Plan was a very powerful document in planning terms. It offered protection to the Marton West area. Councillor Smiles indicated that there were proposals to create a Neighbourhood Plan for the Nunthorpe area.

Councillor Coupe advised that the Stainton and Thornton area were in the process of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan and the final document would be submitted to Council for approval in the near future.

Councillor J Walker stated that it would be useful for members to have sight of existing Neighbourhood Plans to ascertain if they required updating.

Following a vote, it was:

ORDERED that the Modified Marton West Neighbourhood Plan be approved.