Issue - meetings
Westgate Draft Neighbourhood Plan
Meeting: 15/06/2023 - Cabinet (Item 9)
9 Westgate Draft Neighbourhood Plan PDF 104 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Cabinet considered the Westgate Draft Neighbourhood Plan. Under the Localism Act 2011, neighbourhood plans could be prepared by local communities and were led by Town or Parish Councils, or a Neighbourhood Forum in areas which do not have a Town or Parish Council. If Thanet Council adopted a neighbourhood plan it would have the same significance as other Development Plan Documents (e.g. the Local Plan) for the district.
Westgate-on-Sea Town Council prepared this draft neighbourhood plan. It was published, formally submitted to the Council and had subsequently been assessed by an Independent Examiner. The Examiner’s report had also been published. It supported the proposed Neighbourhood Plan, with some minor modifications, and recommended that it be subject to a referendum.
The Council now had to issue a Decision Statement as to whether or not it accepted the recommendations in the Examiners report, and, if not, what actions would be necessary. The Council also had to consider whether the draft Plan met the “basic conditions” for a Neighbourhood Plan. The report also set out relevant issues in the Examiner’s report for Cabinet’s decision which would form the basis of the Decision Statement.
The draft Neighbourhood Plan was generally supported by the Town Council as it had been positively prepared and included policies that generally conform to the adopted Local Plan. It was encouraging to see that the Town Council had included policies which, although too detailed or too specific for the Local Plan, do generally support the delivery of the local plan and had a good evidence base. For example, the Neighbourhood Plan identified important seafront characteristics and designated Seafront Character Zones to protect those characteristics.
Councillor Donaldson spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.
Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet agreed:
1. That the draft Neighbourhood Plan be modified as set out in this report
and
2. That the Council issues a Decision Statement that it accepts the recommendations in the Examiners report, and the draft Neighbourhood Plan can proceed to referendum.