Stone Town Council is looking to produce a Neighbourhood Plan to make sure that developments in the town meet residents’ needs.
A Neighbourhood Plan, the town council says, would allow the town council can refine Stafford Borough Council’s planning policies to ensure that developments within Stone meet more closely the needs of Stone residents. This could include, for example, protecting local green space, securing improvements to the High Street, ensuring the right mix of housing is provided for the town or securing developer contributions for improving facilities for young people or improving community and health care facilities.
The Stafford Borough Local Plan identifies areas set aside for development in the future – including thousands of extra homes and sites for new businesses. The plan will guide all new development in the borough until 2031.
The council has formed a steering group made up of both councillors and local non-councillors, chaired by Cllr Jill Hood, to oversee the production of the Neighbourhood Plan. One of the group’s first tasks will be to consult residents and businesses in Stone to clarify what we want for our town and how the Neighbourhood Plan can help us achieve it. We need to be clear about the things in the town that need to be protected, those that need improvement and those that should be stopped.
Ultimately, following a successful referendum within the town, Stafford Borough Council would be required to adhere to the Stone Neighbourhood Plan when considering all planning applications within the Town Council area.
Before the Plan can be produced, approval is required from Stafford Borough Council. The process of gaining this approval has been started and the borough council will be consulting locally on whether a Plan should be produced for the Stone Town Council area.
The consultation will run from 25th September to 6th November
– more details on the Stafford Borough Council website.
Chairman of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, Cllr Jill Hood, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the town to take charge of its own future development, and to ensure that the views of Stone people are taken fully into account when planning decisions are made in Stafford. I would welcome and appreciate the full support of the town.”
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2 comments
Andy Osgathorpe
The initial consultation, now open for 6 weeks from 25th September to 6th November can be found at:
https://staffordbc-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/stone_town_neighbourhood_plan_area
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It is for the people of Stone and surrounding areas/organisations/groups/business etc. Indeed anyone who has an active interest in Stone, to comment on the BOUNDARY chosen by Stone Town Council. The boundary in red, will define the area in which the Stone Neighbourhood Plan will act.
Once the area is decided then people/organisations/business etc. can comment on what they would like/not like to see or change in Stone and a further consultation period will open.
This will eventually be voted on by the people of Stone and if passed (by 50%) will become law and added to the other Neighbourhood Plans produced by other areas in Stafford Borough Council to form part its plan.
Jamie Summerfield
Thanks Andy