Current Status as at December 2023
What stage has the Neighbourhood Plan reached?
The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (SG) has not gone into hibernation – in fact since April of this year many Steering Group Members have been working incredibly hard. You may or may not remember that the policies of the draft plan were included in a handout delivered throughout the NP area. The entire plan was available to be viewed at selected locations and online throughout the consultation period.
At the end of April, the many responses to our Regulation 14 Consultation were logged reviewed and addressed by a core group of experienced SG members. The FAQ’s on the NP website will be updated in due course to address the questions raised.
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Have any sites been removed from the NP?
The simple answer is ‘Yes’. Many of the consultees were organisations but most were members of the public. Early on it was felt that the site in South Street was going to be difficult to develop and wasn’t really liked by Lea Valley Regional Park. It was also disliked by neighbouring residents. It is therefore not currently in the Plan.
The removal of two more sites proved to be necessary as the regulations regarding development where flood defences were needed to protect land in Flood Zone 2 have been updated. The field and the garage site in Amwell Lane have been removed.
Are there enough homes left in the Plan to reach the required number?
Members of the Steering Group have put this question to the Planning Department at East Herts Council. Fortunately, there have been enough new builds and flat conversions to add to our remaining sites to reach a total of 94 homes.
What's the next step?
The Steering Group will shortly take the NP to each of the three Parish Councils with the request that they approve the changes and agree that it should be sent to East Herts Council. In the past there have been many questions raised by Parish Councillors and voting to approve the NP has been worryingly close. We believe the NP should be forwarded to East Herts Council whose next steps will be to hold a further Consultation (Regulation 16) and then to forward it on to an Inspector.
Where does the Referendum come in?
Your chance to vote on the NP will ONLY happen if we can send the NP to East Herts, they carry out Regulation 16 and the Inspector approves it. Then you get to vote yes or no to wanting it or not. We can let you know in the next few weeks when the Parish Councils will make their decisions about sending this massive piece of work to the next stage.
