Neighbourhood Plan

Welcome to our Neighbourhood Plan page

The Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Development Plan (SINDP) referendum took place on 6th May 2021 alongside the elections for the Police & Crime Commissioner for Sussex and a Councillor to West Sussex County Council.

The question asked in the referendum was:
‘Do you want the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) to use the Neighbourhood Development Plan for the Parish of Stedham with Iping to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’

The result was:

Number cast in favour of a YES - 269

Number cast in favour of a NO - 34

It was therefore declared that more than half of those voting had voted in favour of the Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Plan

SDNPA formally “made” the Stedham with Iping NDP during their Planning Committee meeting held on 10th June 2021. Minutes of the meeting can be viewed by clicking on the Web address below in blue text - see Item 11.

https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Minutes-10.06.21-PC-FINAL.pdf

The key point is that the Stedham with Iping NDP by receiving a majority Yes vote has full weight in any planning decision and is now considered as part of the Development Plan for the Parish.

Referendum Information & Documentation

The information "Statement for Referendum" on 6th May 2021 (which can be downloaded by clicking here) lists the documents which must be made available to voters and how to access them either online or as hard copy. The documents are:

The referendum version of the Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Development Plan
The Independent Examiner’s Report on the draft Stedham with Iping NDP
Summary of the representations submitted to the Independent Examiner
The Decision Statement sets out that SDNP agrees that the Stedham with Iping NDP meets the basic conditions and relevant Regulations
Information for Voters sets out general information as to town and country planning (including neighbourhood planning) and the referendum (included within the ‘Stedham with Iping NDP)

The SINDP documentation will be available for inspection as from 22nd April 2021 at Stedham Memorial Hall. Viewing will be by appointment only and in single/family groups in accordance with Government Covid-19 guidance. Please contact the Clerk at:

clerk@stedhamwithiping-pc.gov.uk / 01730 814575

SINDP documents can be downloaded to your device by clicking on the following links:

1. Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Development Plan - Referendum Version

2. Independent Examiner's Report

3. Summary of the representations submitted

4. The Decision Statement

5. Information for Voters

Further information and background on the Neighbourhood Plan can also be found on the South Downs National Park's website at the following link:

SDNPA - Stedham with Iping NDP

Steps leading up to the Referendum

In the summer of 2017 we sent out a questionnaire to all dwellings in the parish, held a number of drop-in sessions and set up a Steering Group (SG). There was a Call for Sites to all landowners in the parish. Since then the SG met regularly and considered evidence for many aspects of the NP. These discussions have included Heritage Assets, Site Assessments, the Local Economy, the Settlement Boundary, Open Spaces, Key Views, the Natural Environment, Transport and Public Rights of Way. We have put these documents from the SG on our website, below.

The Evidence Base was then used to draw up the Neighbourhood Plan, which the Parish Council agreed should go to the statutory Regulation 14 Consultation. This public consultation started on 5 April 2018 and finished at midnight on 17 May 2018. A letter was sent to all households, as well as all statutory consultees to inform residents and others of this and there was an opportunity to view the Evidence Base and discuss the draft plan at drop-in sessions in the Memorial Hall.

Responses were received from residents, statutory consultees and various other organisations as well as landowners. These are on this website (anonymised as appropriate) below:

The Draft NP was then passed to South Downs National Park Authority, as our planning authority. The SDNPA held a Regulation 16 Consultation to which statutory bodies and anyone else could submit responses. These responses together with the Regulation 16 Draft Neighbourhood Plan were then sent to the Examiner.

The Examiner asked a series of questions of the SDNPA, our planning authority and of the Steering Group. The letter, "Examiner's Request for Clarification", is published below. The Steering Group and the Parish Council considered the questions, the proposed answers and feedback from the SDNPA during SIPC meetings held on 12th September, 21st October and 14th November 2019. It was then agreed that the Decision Statement should be presented at the SDNPA Planning Committee on 16th January 2020, postponed from the 12th December because of the General Election. The SDNPA Planning Committee voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Examiner such that SIPC's Neighbourhood Plan could proceed to Public Referendum.

SINDP documents:

Examination

Examiner's request for clarification July 2019

Regulation 16 Neighbourhood Plan Documents

Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 16 Consultation)

Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Plan Map (Regulation 16 Consultation)

Basic Conditions Statement

Consultation Statement

Regulation 14 Neighbourhood Plan Documents

Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 14 Consultation Draft)

Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood Plan Map (Regulation 14 Consultation Draft)

Message from Steering Group