Abbots Langley Neighbourhood Area
On 18 November 2014 the Sustainable Development, Planning and Transport Committee of Three Rivers District Council designated the whole of Abbots Langley Parish as a Neighbourhood Area. A copy of the Decision Notice and a map of the Designated Area can be accessed below.
Abbots Langley Neighbourhood Area Designation Map (pdf)
Designation Notification Abbots Langley (doc)
Background
An application to designate Abbots Langley as a Neighbourhood Area was submitted by Abbots Langley Parish Council to Three Rivers District Council on 6 June 2014 and was then subject to an eight week period of public consultation between 18 July 2014 and 12 September 2014.
As part of the public consultation approximately of ten thousand letters were delivered to homes and businesses within Abbots Langley to provide all those who live, work and carry on business in the Parish the opportunity to comment on the designation. A total of six responses were received, four supporting designation of a Neighbourhood Area and one opposing designation. A further resident provided general comments on development in Abbots Langley.
Following the end of the consultation period, a report was prepared for the Council’s Sustainable Development, Planning and Transport Committee recommending that a Neighbourhood Area be designated in Abbots Langley. The report considered the application in the context of the relevant Legislation (Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Localism Act 2011 and Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012) and consultation responses received.
Next step – Producing a Neighbourhood Plan
The Parish Council are now able to begin work on a Neighbourhood Plan for Abbots Langley. A Neighbourhood Plan, which can become part of the statutory development plan for the designated area, can assist local communities in shaping how their locality develops by establishing general planning policies for the development and use of land within a defined area. The content of a Neighbourhood Plan can be adapted to reflect the local situation but it is likely to include development management policies (e.g. design policies).
To become part of the development plan, a Neighbourhood Plan must receive a majority ‘Yes’ vote in a local referendum organised by the Local Planning Authority. To reach the referendum stage a Neighbourhood Plan needs to progress through several stages:
- Completed Neighbourhood Plans are submitted to the Local Planning Authority who need to be satisfied that the submitted plan complies with the strategic priorities of the local development plan (e.g. adopted Core Strategy).
- Following a period of public consultation, the submitted plan will be examined by an independent inspector who is required to ensure the plan meets a set of basic conditions and legal requirements.
- Following a successful examination, a submitted Neighbourhood Plan can continue to a Local Referendum (in this case within Abbots Langley) and, if successful, be adopted as part of the development plan.
For more information on Neighbourhood Plans please see:
- https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/egcl-page/neighbourhood-planning (Three Rivers District Council)
- http://www.ourneighbourhoodplanning.org.uk (Royal Town Planning Institute)
- http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/ (Locality)