ensuring our village retains its character whilst continuing to meet the needs of our community
WHNP Adopted by Guildford Borough Council
Adoption of the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan
The West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan was adopted (made) by the Council on 4 December 2018. The Council designated the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area on 8 September 2014 following an application by West Horsley Parish Council and a six week consultation.
The plan now forms part of the Borough's Development Plan and helps in deciding the outcome of planning applications within the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area.
Updates from the Steering Group
5 December 2018
On 4 December Guildford Borough Council voted to formally approve the adoption of the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan. The motion was proposed by Council leader Paul Spooner and seconded by Clandon & Horsley Borough Councillor Jenny Wicks. No comments were made against the Plan, which was approved by general acclamation.
Lead Councillor for Planning and Regeneration, Cllr Paul Spooner congratulated West Horsley, saying this is “something very positive for the borough and the planning process”, adding that neighbourhood plans carry full weight in planning decisions for their neighbourhood area, and “should be taken very seriously within planning committee”.
Cllr Wicks said that she was “delighted to second the motion and delighted that the referendum showed such overwhelming support for the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan”. Cllr Wicks then congratulated the Steering Group and Parish Council for their hard work and commitment in producing such a carefully and thoughtfully drafted Plan”.
23 November 2018
The result of the West Horsley Neighbourhood Planning Referendum was announced last night at 22:40 by the Counting Officer. The votes were as follows:
Yes 777 (96%)
No 32 (4%)
1 paper was rejected for being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty.
The turnout was 37.63%
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your contributions to the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan. Over the last three years you have attended six open house events, participated in four surveys and responded to three consultations. At every stage in the development of the Plan we have taken your comments in to consideration and we now believe that this Referendum Plan will serve the community well.
As you know, a Neighbourhood Plan cannot combat the strategic policies of the Local Authority, i.e. we can't stop Guildford Borough from insetting our village or building new homes here. But with the policies proposed in the Referendum Plan we can go some way to protecting the special character and openness of our parish.
Again, thank you for all your support, and for turning out to vote 'Yes'!
The West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group
A MESSAGE FROM THE STEERING GROUP
INTRODUCTION
West Horsley’s Neighbourhood Plan (WHNP) is the result of more than three years of hard work by residents of the village who care deeply for the future of our community. Throughout its preparation the Steering Group has consulted with the community and has been advised by a professional planning consultant.
The WHNP has passed its examination by an independent planning inspector and the next and final stage is for you, the residents of West Horsley, to decide whether you want it to become part of the statutory development plan for the village up to 2033.
If a majority of you vote ‘Yes’ at the forthcoming referendum the WHNP will be used to help determine all future planning applications in the neighbourhood area. It will give West Horsley considerable influence over future development in the Parish.
We are not allowed by the Act which introduced Neighbourhood Plans, to produce a plan that conflicts with the strategic land use policies of the development plan of our Local Planning Authority. It is therefore not possible to use the WHNP to combat the number of houses proposed by Guildford Borough Council for West Horsley. If we had, our Plan would have failed its examination and you would not now have the opportunity to either approve or disapprove of the Plan at a referendum.
We believe the proposals we have made will help to keep our village special and retain the character and openness that we value so highly. The Steering Group encourages residents to VOTE ‘YES’ on Thursday 22 November.
THE REFERENDUM
Guildford Electoral Services are distributing voting papers for the referendum to all registered voters in West Horsley.
The referendum will simply ask the question: Do you want Guildford Borough Council to use the neighbourhood plan for West Horsley to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
A majority of votes must be cast as ‘YES’ if the WHNP is to be adopted.
To view a copy of the Referendum Plan and supporting documents please go to www.guildford.gov.uk/westhorsley. Alternatively, you can find paper copies at Horsley Library.
CONTACT US
If you have any queries about the Referendum or the WHNP please email us at secretarywesthorsleynsg@gmail.com.
“Over the last three years the WHNP Steering Group has worked hard to identify, research and draft a set of policies that we believe best reflects the views and ambitions of our community, whilst remaining aligned with the strategic needs of the country and the wider local area.
If accepted, this Plan will influence the types and designs of development within West Horsley. It will also help us to protect our local green spaces and community assets, preserve our countryside and environment, and promote local business and infrastructure.”
Paul Dodgson,
Chairman WHNPSG
8 September 2018
The Examiner's Report includes a recommendation to modify the WH2/3 boundaries in order to deliver a sound Neighbourhood Plan for West Horsley. The Steering Group has prepared a statement to provide some clarity on the NPSG's decision to follow the Examiner's advice. This can be read at
www.westhorsleyneighbourhoodplan.org/modification-consultation.
If you have any further queries please do get in touch with us at secretarywesthorsleynsg@gmail.com.
6 September 2018
In response to the Examiner's Report Guildford Borough Council has made a number of changes to the Submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan.
A Modification Consultation on some of these amendments is currently underway via the GBC website at: https://getinvolved.guildford.gov.uk/consult.ti/WHNPMod/consultationHome
If you would like to participate in this consultation please do so by Monday, 17 September 2018.
1 June 2018
The Examiner's Report concludes that subject to a number of recommendations, the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum. The full report can be viewed here.
16 March 2018
Guildford Borough Council's consultation on the West Horsley Submission Neighbourhood Plan as now ended. Comments received can be viewed here.
4 January 2018
A message from Guildford Borough Council
West Horsley Parish Council has submitted a neighbourhood plan to Guildford Borough Council.
A neighbourhood plan is a document containing planning policies for a single neighbourhood area. If the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan is adopted, it will be used to help determine planning applications within the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area, along with the Council's Local Plan and other considerations.
Guildford Borough Council will consult on the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan from 00:00 on 23 January to 23:59 on 7 March 2018. For more information about the consultation, to view the neighbourhood plan, and to find out how to comment on the plan, please visit the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan consultation homepage on the Planning Policy consultations website at https://getinvolved.guildford.gov.uk.
Please note, you can only submit a response via the website when the consultation opens on Tuesday 23 January, and we will only accept email and letter responses from this date.
If you would like to respond to the Consultation via email, please use planningpolicy@guildford.gov.uk
23 November 2017
The Proposed WHNP was approved by the Parish Council on 21 November 2017 and has now been submitted to Guildford Borough Council for examination by and independent planning inspector.
GBC will validate our submission and will then hold a six week consultation. Due to the Christmas holidays this is unlikely to start until January. During the consultation GBC will procure an independent planning inspector, with the aim of progressing to examination shortly after the consultation closes.
10 November, 2017
The Steering Group has carefully considered all the comments received during the Pre-Submission Consultation and as a result of these comments has made some revisions to the Plan.
The Steering Group has now finalised the Submission Plan and associated documents. These are:
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Map (which identifies the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area and confirms that it relates to the Parish boundary);
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Proposed Plan;
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Basic Conditions Statement (explaining how the proposed plan meets the requirements – the basic conditions and other tests – set out in the legislation);
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Consultation Statement (explaining and demonstrating how engagement with the community and others has shaped the development of the plan), including:
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Appendix 1: Regulation 14 Report (an appendix to the Consultation Statement);
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Appendix 2: Pre-Submission Consultation Report (containing all the comments received and the Steering Groups responses and actions); and
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SEA/HRA Statement (to confirm that a SEA/HRA Screening Report has concluded that the plan is unlikely to have significant environmental effects).
All the above documents were approved unanimously by the WHNP Steering Group on 8 November 2017 and have now been sent to West Horsley Parish Council for final authorisation.
We anticipate submitting the WHNP to Guildford Borough Council in w/c 20 November 2017, following the Parish Council's next meeting.
Many thanks again to everyone who participated in the consultation.
The Steering Group