the Neighbourhood Plan achieved a majority ‘yes’ vote at yesterday’s referendum. This means that it currently holds very significant weight in determining planning applications. It was a good turnout considering there were no other votes taking place and considering the wintery weather.
The Neighbourhood Plan will now go to Full Council on 29 March 2023 to be ‘made’ – at this point it will form part of the development for Huntingdonshire and be given full weight in the determination of planning applications for the neighbourhood area.
The result of the Referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan is below, thank you to all who voted.
Great Gransden Neighbourhood Plan – 9 March 2023
A referendum relating to the adoption of the Great Gransden Neighbourhood Plan will be held on 9 March 2023 in the Reading Room, Great Gransden. The referendum version of the Great Gransden Neighbourhood Plan can be found below under specified documents and a simplified Plan Summary follows lower down on this page.The
The question which will be asked in the referendum is:
“Do you want Huntingdonshire District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Great Gransden to help it decide planning applications for the neighbourhood area?”
Please follow this link for more details https://huntingdonshire.gov.uk/planning/neighbourhood-planning/great-gransden-neighbourhood-plan-9-march-2023/
HDC’s Democratic Services have also posted the referendum on their ‘Upcoming Elections’ webpage with details on deadlines to register to vote etc., available here: https://huntingdonshire.gov.uk/elections/upcoming-elections/
The Great Gransden Neighbourhood Plan (GGNP) sets out a framework for future developments in the parish to meet identified future needs. The GGNP also contains a vast amount of supporting information with regards to the village including, Population, Plans and History of Great Gransden.
When “made” (adopted) the GGNP has legal status. The purpose of a Neighbourhood Plan is to set a framework for future development in the Plan Area, for which the Local Planning Authority is Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC). Once approved by a referendum, the GGNP will carry the same legal weight as the Local Plan drawn up by HDC. The GGNP will sit alongside the adopted HDC Local Plan (last revised 2019) and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, last revised 2021) and together they will provide the statutory development plan for the parish of Great Gransden. The Local Planning Authority must follow what is in the GGNP when making decisions about planning applications in the area, subject to other material considerations.
Below is a summary of the history and processes completed in a 5 year journey to bring this Neighbourhood Plan to where it is today.
The Examiner’s report [PDF, 0.3MB] on the Great Gransden Neighbourhood Plan was issued on 30 November 2022 and recommended that the Plan met all legal requirements and can proceed to referendum with modifications. The Neighbourhood Plan will now go forward to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny (Performance and Growth) on 4 January followed by Cabinet on 24 January 2023. Update: We received Cabinet’s endorsement to proceed to referendum on 24th January 2023.
Following the Examination, some changes were made to the Neighbourhood Plan and this resulted in two files being updated. They are here:
On 20 October, the Examiner wrote to Great Gransden Parish Council and Huntingdonshire District Council with a number of preliminary questions. A copy of this letter can be found below:
Documents produced so far:
Plan Summary
Initial community engagement identified Key Issues and concerns for the future of Great Gransden. Analysis of the responses from further engagements identified recurring themes, which have been used to develop the Vision and Objectives for the future.The objectives can be achieved by a combination of implementing planning Policies and by Related Community Action Plans supported by the parish council.
The Vision is that Great Gransden will continue to thrive as a vibrant rural village, with a diverse population and a highly engaged community. The village will develop in a sustainable, evolutionary manner, such that the parish’s rural nature and character are maintained and enhanced. This will be achieved through the following objectives, policies and related community action plans:
Spatial Strategy
Key Issue – Sustainable development and growth of the housing stock in Great Gransden.
Objectives – NP will include policies which facilitate the delivery of the housing requirement figure provided to it by Hunts District Council in the period (64 new dwellings in the period 2011 -36). New growth will be focussed on providing deliverable and sustainable developments in the parish, supported by necessary infrastructure
Policies – NP defines a development boundary within which the principle of development is accepted (subject to other constraints) and outside of which development is resisted. One of the exceptions allowed is the delivery of rural exception sites (affordable housing for people with a connection to Great Gransden)
Related Community Action Plans – The PC will monitor the local housing needs and when appropriate explore the option for a local Exception Site.
A Rural and Historic Village
Key Issue – Protection and enhancement of the rural character
Objectives – New development must be of a high quality and sensitive to the key characteristics of Great Gransden taking cues from existing designs. New developments will protect and enhance the landscape character and important views. The Conservation Area and its essential character will be conserved or enhanced.
Policies – Seek to ensure that all new development contributes in a positive way to the existing built environment and is sensitive to the rural setting of the village; also requires all proposals to protect or enhance existing landscape character and requires valued views of significant buildings and valued landscapes to be protected. There are more specific requirements in the Conservation Area.
Natural Environment
Key Issue – Access to open space and enjoyment of the countryside
Objectives – Existing areas of important semi-natural habitats within the parish and the biodiversity that they support will be effectively protected and enhanced, lost habitats restored where possible. These efforts will be targeted to areas which increase their connectivity across the landscape and thus their viability and long-term sustainability.
Policies – Protecting and enhancing biodiversity in the parish including at Gransden Woods.
Related Community Action Plans – The PC will aim to work with both landowners of the Waresley and Gransden Woods site to find ways to effectively protect their woodland and continue to seek alternative outdoor recreation provision to serve the parishioners. The PC will support a community-led initiative to recognise an arc shaped corridor shown on the map in Figure 5, page 17 of the Plan, along the valley of Gransden Brook and encourage landowners to target this for habitat protection and enhancement.
Open Space
Key Issue – Access to open space and enjoyment of the countryside
Objectives – Maintain and protect key areas of green space within the village and elsewhere in the parish where these are valued by the community for their amenity and recreational value and/or rural landscape value. Also, to increase the quality and quantity of accessible open space within the parish, whilst fully respecting the rights of private landowners and legitimate uses of the land.
Policies – These policies give strong protection to four open spaces in the plan area (Sportsfield, playing field, allotments, mill weir) and sets out the priorities for open space improvements and provision in the parish. Also draws attention to the existing network of public rights of way, protects the network, and requires future proposals to either link with the network or look at creating new links.
Related Community Action Plans – The PC will aim to work with landowners and the community to identify a suitable location for a new open space close to the village centre.
Transport and Road Safety Improvements
Key Issue – Road safety and traffic
Objectives – A prioritised programme of improvements will be implemented, to enhance road safety for all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. Cycleways, footpaths and pavements on key routes around the village, and to and from the village will be established and upgraded. New development will allow for safe movement of vehicles and non-motorised users in and around the village.
Policies – Requires all development proposals to be provided with adequate infrastructure to enable occupants to walk and cycle along safe and direct routes into the village centre, Standards will be set when new roads are proposed in the parish.
Related Community Action Plans – The PC will support the development of a prioritised improvement plan for road safety in Great Gransden for all road users and support fundraising for implementation. It will also support a community-led action plan to encourage reduced car usage within the village. Work with neighbouring parishes, the District and the County to explore the potential for a new cycle route to Cambourne, St Neots and Cambridge to link in with similar networks in neighbouring parishes.
Community Facilities and Infrastructure
Key Issues – 1) Community Facilities and Infrastructure. 2) Uncertainties of major infrastructure decisions
Objectives – New development will be supported by improvements in village infrastructure. CIL spending by GGPC will reflect local priorities as expressed through the NP and through ongoing liaison with the community following adoption of the plan. Community-led projects will be identified to move towards net zero carbon.
Policies –This policy highlights the priorities for financial contributions to direct new and improved infrastructure, where it can be locally determined.
Related Community Action Plans – Financial contributions or direct provision of new infrastructure will be sought to secure infrastructure improvements made necessary by development proposals. Use of developer contributions that can be locally determined will be directed to any of the following priorities: Improvements to the children’s playground – Reading Room – the Playing Field carpark in the centre of the village – indoor facilities provided at Great Gransden Sportsfield* – Installation of new pavements and traffic calming measures – creation of new informal open space in and around Great Gransden* – extending or improving the public rights of way network and permissive footpaths * – creation of a cycle route, improvements to the communications and broadband capabilities* – evaluation of ground and air source heat projects* – enhanced opportunities for education for all ages*
Priorities marked with an asterisk * will require community leadership, with support from the PC
Primary Schooling, Education and Health
Key Issue – Education and Health Services
Objectives – The village primary school will maintain its very high standards of education and its strong community ethos through any period of housing growth. It will be well-resourced and financially secure. Residents in the village will have easy access to good educational opportunities for all age groups. Health provision in the village will be restored and expanded
Policies –Supports development proposals which will help to sustain or enhance pre-school or primary school infrastructure in the parish. The policy supports in principle development needed to expand school facilities provided there are no adverse impacts on road safety, congestion or the appearance of the conservation area.
Related Community Action Plans – The PC to – explore with the Local Authority the possibility of instating free travel and a part resident-funded/part subsidised secondary school bus* – to see how learning opportunities for all parishioners can be expanded; * – see how greater access to existing meeting rooms and community buildings can be best provided. – discuss with GP surgeries at Bourn and Gamlingay to try to identify and agree suitable premises for appropriate consultation clinics to be held in Great Gransden.
Priorities marked with an asterisk * will require community involvement, with support from the PC
