Pendle News Room

At the beginning of July, Trawden Forest Parish Council took the first step towards creating a Neighbourhood Plan for the area.

It applied to Pendle Council asking for the parish to be officially designated for neighbourhood planning.

And a public consultation has been launched to seek views on the proposed neighbourhood area and the suitability of the neighbourhood planning body.

Councillor Julie Henderson, who oversees planning in Pendle, explained: “Local people have new rights to help shape development in their areas by drawing up planning policies that will help to guide the development and use of land in their area.

“The first step is to establish the area that the plan will cover.

“In this case the area covers the whole of the area administered by Trawden Forest Parish Council and they are also the applicant, so the process should be fairly straightforward.”

Any comments must be submitted in writing and received by Pendle Council on or before Friday 19th August 2016.

Information on neighbourhood planning and the proposed Trawden Forest Neighbourhood Plan can be found on Pendle Council’s website at www.pendle.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplans

The consultation documents are also available to view at the following locations during their normal opening hours:

• Number One Market Street, Nelson, BB9 7LJ (Principal Planning Office)
• Trawden Parish Council Office, Unit 2 Black Carr Mill, Trawden, BB8 8RA
• Trawden Public Library, Church Street, Trawden, Colne, BB8 8RU
• Colne Public Library, Market Street, Colne, BB8 0AP

Neil Watson, Planning, Building Control and Licensing Manager for Pendle Council, added: “Preparation of the Plan can start once the neighbourhood area has been formally approved.

“The current public consultation does not address the content of the proposed Neighbourhood Plan.

“This will be prepared by the local community, including members of the public, local businesses voluntary organisations and other key stakeholders.

“Setting out the key objectives for an area in a Neighbourhood Plan will make it easier for the local community to deliver local priorities and give them a stronger chance of attracting funding to the area.”

The policies to be included in the Neighbourhood Plan will need to reflect the strategic planning policies and guidance set out in the Council’s Local Plan and the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework.

The final Plan will be subject to independent examination and a local referendum will help to demonstrate that it has the support of the local community.

Once adopted a Neighbourhood Plan becomes a statutory planning document, which means that it will be considered by planning officers when determining any planning applications in the parish of Trawden Forest.

Attachment:

Map showing the proposed Trawden Forest Neighbourhood Area