Agenda item

The Executive Member for Regeneration and the Director of Regeneration and Culture submitted a report for Executive’s consideration to seek a determination on an application submitted by Nunthorpe Parish Council for Neighbourhood Area status, in order to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan.

 

Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011), applications can be made to local planning authorities to designate Neighbourhood Areas, in order to facilitate the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans.

 

The designation of a Neighbourhood Area enables the relevant body to establish a vision and general planning policies for the development, and use of land in their designated neighbourhood. This takes the form of a Neighbourhood Plan, which the relevant body prepares. Neighbourhood Plans form part of the Statutory Development Plan for the area.

 

When deciding on a Neighbourhood Area boundary the Government has provided guidance on what to take into account:

·         village or settlement boundaries, which could reflect areas of planned expansion;

·         a catchment area for walking to local services such as shops, primary schools, doctors’ surgery, parks or other facilities;

·         an area where formal or informal networks of community based groups operate;

·         the physical appearance or characteristics of the neighbourhood, for example buildings may be of a consistent scale or style;

·         whether the area forms all or part of a coherent estate either for businesses or residents;

·         whether the area is wholly or predominantly a business area;

·         whether infrastructure or physical features define a natural boundary, for example a major road or railway line or waterway;

·         the natural setting or features in an area; and the size of the population (living and working) in the area.

A Neighbourhood Area boundary can also be based on an administrative boundary such as an electoral Ward or postal district.

 

On 25th March 2022, Nunthorpe Parish Council submitted an application to designate a Neighbourhood Area to the Council. As the proposed area also covers land outside our borough, a similar application was also made to Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council.

 

The proposed Neighbourhood Area is somewhat unusual in that it includes both parished and non-parished parts of our borough, incorporating all or part of two Middlesbrough Ward boundaries, as well as extending into a neighbouring local authority administrative area (see Appendix 1).

 

Prior to submitting the application, a significant amount of consultation took place between Nunthorpe Parish Council, and Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Councils. Due to the complexities associated with multiple administrative authorities, Locality (provides advice and financial support to local communities wishing to undertake Neighbourhood Planning) also provided support to the Parish Council. During these discussions, it was agreed that Middlesbrough Council would be the lead local planning authority, although all matters relating to the Redcar & Cleveland part of the application would remain the legal responsibility of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council.

 

OPTIONS

 

The Council was required under the legislation to make a determination within prescribed timescales, and a determination was therefore necessary. If it did not, then the Council must have designated the whole area as per the original application.

 

The alternative options that have also been considered were as follows:

·         To determine the Neighbourhood Area as proposed. It is not considered appropriate to designate the area as proposed as it is out of alignment with the proposed Ward and Parish Boundaries.

·         To approve an alternative modified area (that is not the Ward boundary). Only one alternative boundary has been put forward, and rejected for the reasons set out above.

 

ORDERED

 

Subject to approval of the Council’s Community Governance Review, due to be considered by full Council on 7 September 2022;

 

Executive approves the request to designate the Neighbourhood Area application, as submitted (see Appendix 1) in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011), and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.

 

REASONS

 

The rationale for the above recommendations was that Neighbourhood Areas should be based (where possible) on existing boundary lines and/or distinctive characteristics and features, as outlined above in paragraphs 4 & 5. As the existing administrative boundaries for Nunthorpe Ward and Parish were subject to imminent review, it is considered that the proposed Neighbourhood Area boundary should be aligned with the proposed boundary.