NPC March 2022 Minutes
HOUGH ON THE HILL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the Hough on the Hill Neighbourhood Planning Committee held at Hough on the Hill Church Community area at 7.30pm on Tuesday 15th March 2022.
Present: Cllr A Knott (AK) (in the Chair), R. Moore (RM), Roger Twelvetrees (RT), Cllr Penny Millnes (PM), Marilyn Taylor (MT). 2 members of the public also present.
1 Minutes of Meeting held 9th February 2022
The Minutes were approved as a correct record. There were no matters arising.
2 Opinions Survey/Questionnaire Results
The Chair thanked everyone for their hard work on distributing the survey, and expressed his thanks also to the wider community for their response. A total of 113 had been completed, which was just over a quarter of the population. The response gives the neighbourhood planning process a great deal of very useful feedback and will add legitimacy to our work. Some 60 people have given consent to being kept informed.
Some of the headline findings from the neighbourhood plan included:
• 100% support for the use of Design Guidance (currently being worked on by our consultants AECOM)
• broad support for retaining the original 2015 objectives for the Plan
• concern about insensitive development, especially outside settlements (78% were concerned about SP3, 81% about SP4, and 90% about SP5); there was less concern about conversions and extensions
• the most negative aspects about living here were the state of the roads, or speeding on roads; the lack of a local shop and the lack of public transport
• still several parts of the parish where broadband services are poor
• an undercurrent of frustration that we are not doing more, as a Parish, to tackle climate change
• several suggestions - about a dozen - of potential areas for Green Space designation
The Survey Analysis Report provides full details on all the questions covered and will be placed on the Parish Council website (Action MT). It will also be discussed by the Parish Council for consideration of those matters that fall outside the purview of the Neighbourhood Plan. The Plan will contain a Delivery Plan covering all the issues raised and the ways that the Parish Council might best take forward action to address them, including priority items for any Planning Gain arising from future development (noting that SKDC does not currently use a Planning Tariff approach).
A question was raised regarding analysis of all the comments made on the questions towards the end of the Survey (nos 26 and 27 in the Survey Analysis Report). It was agreed that AK will look at this.
Action: AK
3 Consultation Workshop 2nd April
It was agreed that this would run from 10am at All Saints Church (but not include a Zoom session in the afternoon as too difficult to manage) and would be focused on the proposals emerging from AECOM consultants for the definition of our built-up areas. The consultants had spent a day visiting all 3 of our settlements, taking a great many photos, and seeing for themselves how we are spatially dispersed and the interactions with our landscapes and historic buildings.
We will be able to display the maps they are producing (AK has procured easels). The session will start with a brief overview presentation (AK using projector supplied by RT and a screen AK has borrowed) and break into 3 settlement-based groups for discussion (MT to suggest some key questions for these discussions). MT to sort refreshments. Group facilitators will be PM/PB, Andrew Barratt and AK/MT.
The proposed publicity leaflet was agreed (MT to action for delivery teams as before). MT to email all the people who want to be kept informed directly.
4 Locality Grant Budget Spend to Date
Our spend is still within the £1,340 awarded from the Government’s support programme for neighbourhood planning. We cannot spend anything further from this grant beyond 31st March. However, there are indications that future support may be made available for which we can apply. As a contingency it was agreed that the Parish Council agree a budget of up to £500 spend going forwards from March in case further grant support is not forthcoming.
MT reported that she has now submitted an application for further technical support (for help with Green Space designations) and is awaiting final confirmation.
5 Project Plan
The updated Project Plan was noted. Broadly on track. The aim is to produce the first draft of the updated NP for the September meeting of the Parish Council.
MT has asked for assistance in compiling the list of local landowners/businesses to whom a letter needs to go explaining that we are updating the Plan and suggesting they bring to our attention any proposals for development/business expansion that may either impact on the Plan, or for which they would seek support through the Plan. PM has asked for some help from SKDC, and RM has looked at business rates. Various other names added to the draft list circulated by MT. Work in progress.
Date of Next Meeting: to be advised