Stratford-on-Avon District Council (SDC) approved the designation of the parish of Alcester as a Neighbourhood Area, in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.
The area to which the designation relates is the whole of the parish of Alcester, as identified in the map. washed over in pink.
In autumn 2018 a Pre-Submission version of the Alcester Neighbourhood Development Plan (ANDP) went to public consultation. This was quite a long document and a Summary booklet was available of this version of the plan. (Please note that this has now been superseded).
Following responses to the public consultation in autumn 2018, and actions agreed by the Steering Group, the ANDP was amended (Submission version), sent to the Planning Consultant and a Basic Conditions Statement drafted. Both documents were approved at Planning Committee on 1 April and adopted at Full Council on Tuesday 9 April 2019.
The Submission version of the ANDP together with various other documents was submitted to SDC under Regulation 15 on 10 April 2019. SDC concluded their Regulation 16 consultation on 12 July 2019 and the Submission version of the ANDP was then sent for independent examination.
Examiners are selected from NPIERS (Neighbourhood Planning Independent Examiner Referral Service). Alcester Town Council selected one Independent Examiner, Mr Richard High, from a panel of three. The examiner checks to see whether or not the plan meets the basic conditions set out in legislation.
The Independent Examiner produced a favourable report in January 2020 suggesting various minor amendments but broadly recommending that the ANDP go forward to Referendum. The Steering Group met in January 2020 to accept and agree the amendments and the plan was updated. A Referendum version of the ANDP was sent to SDC who accepted the examiner’s recommended modifications on the ANDP and issued the decision that the plan should proceed to referendum. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this was postponed until May 2021. A Summary booklet of the Referendum version of the NDP was delivered to all homes in the parish of Alcester.
The referendum on 6 May 2021 presented an opportunity for Alcester residents to vote for the ANDP and once adopted by SDC, anyone submitting planning applications must comply with the policies in order that future development respects the needs and character of the town. Alcester will also benefit from additional money that developers will have to provide for local infrastructure and facilities. This is known as the Community Infrastructure Levy or CIL.
The Alcester NDP successfully passed referendum and was adopted by SDC on 12 July 2021.
For further information please see the SDC Alcester Neighbourhood Plan page