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On 7 September Pontesbury Parish Neighbourhood Plan was approved by the Referendum Vote in which over 85% of the 491 voters supported the Plan. Following the declaration of the result the Plan is now in operation. This means that when future planning applications for development in Pontesbury Parish are decided, the Plan policies will be taken into account. Given that the finished Plan was based on extensive consultations with hundreds of local people, it means that the Pontesbury parish community will have a greater say than ever before, in shaping and helping to decide future development. Change is inevitable, but the core purpose of the Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure any development fits in with the character of our parish.
So far, only a handful of Shropshire's parishes have a completed Neighbourhood Plan. The Pontesbury Parish Neighbourhood Plan will sit alongside Shropshire's Local Plan which is the most important material planning concern for deciding planning applications for future development. This means that residents should consult the Plan when submitting planning applications or when commenting on other applications in our parish.
The Plan has already been drawn upon to influence design in forthcoming applications and the adoption of the Plan means that our parish will gain a considerable increase in CIL money to spend on improving infrastructure.
Whilst some voters were concerned with some aspects or omissions in the Plan, it should be borne in mind that no policies could be included which duplicated Shropshire Local Plan and some much desired local changes do not come within the remit of Neighbourhood Plans.
The Steering Group thanks the many hundreds of respondents who have helped to shape the Plan and who took the time to vote.