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Neighbourhood planning

Chapters in this topic

  1. Introduction to neighbourhood planning
  2. Boughton-Under-Blean and Dunkirk
  3. Faversham
  4. Faversham Creek
  5. Hernhill
  6. Minster, Isle of Sheppey
  7. Borden

Faversham Creek

The Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan was ‘made’ at Full Council on Friday 28 June, 2017.

You can download the:

Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan: Referendum

The judicial review brought against the neighbourhood plan was dismissed by the High Court and the Council held a referendum on Thursday 4 May 2017.

The referendum was conducted based on procedures which are similar to those used at local government elections.

Specified documents

The relevant regulations state that we must make the following documents available:

Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan decision statement June 2016

On the Wednesday 25 May, 2016, we formally accepted the recommendations of the independent examiner for the Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan. This decision (PDF 60.36kb) allowed a referendum to take place on the Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan.

Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan: Submission and examination

Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan: Examination report

On the Monday 4 April, 2016 we received the independent examiner's report (PDF 212.36kb) on the Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan.

The Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan was submitted to us for examination (Regulation 16) in November 2014. A public consultation was held between Friday 7 November and Monday 22 December, 2014. We invited representations on whether the neighbourhood plan met the basic conditions and other matters set out in paragraph 8 of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The Council appointed Mr Tim Jones to act as the independent examiner. He was chosen from a selection provided by the neighbourhood planning Independent Examiner Referral Service.

The representations that were sent to the independent examiner who reviewed them. As a result, he considered that a hearing was necessary. The hearing took place between Monday 5 October and Wednesday 7 October, 2015.

Further information is available under Guidance and Direction Note 1 (PDF 63.12kb), Guidance and Direction Note 2 (PDF 27.51kb) and Guidance and Direction Note 3 (PDF 59.73kb), all issued by the Examiner.

You can download the comments on the examiner’s guidance and direction notes 1 and 2 (PDF 311.07kb).

It was at the independent examiner’s discretion to determine:

  • the format and scope of the public hearing
  • who will be invited to speak at a hearing, in addition to the local planning authority and the qualifying body that submitted the neighbourhood plan or order
  • the questions to be asked at the hearing

The following documents were submitted to the independent examiner:

Faversham Creek neighbourhood plan proposal: Publication consultation

Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 and Localism Act 2011 requires that we publish the following documents for consultation:

We were required under Regulation 16 to publicise details of the neighbourhood plan and invite comment ahead of its submission to independent examination.

We sent representations to the independent examiner. This is was the last round of consultation ahead of its submission to the independent examiner.

Designation of neighbourhood plan area

Notice is hereby given that the request by Faversham Town Council that land at Faversham Creek be designated as a neighbourhood plan area was confirmed on Thursday 20 February,2014 under Part 2 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.

A  plan (PDF 440.83kb) of the Faversham Creek designated area and the Notice of Neighbourhood Plan Area Designation Request (PDF 95.9kb) are available to view.

Preparation by Swale Borough Council of an Area Action Plan Development Plan Document for Faversham Creek

Consultation in respect of a report by Tony Fullwood Associates entitled: 'Developing proposals and future planning policy options to deliver regeneration of the creek area.'

In May 2010 an independent consultant, Tony Fullwood, was appointed to take the work forward to:

  • undertake feasibility and viability work building on the earlier Urban Initiatives Report
  • advise on development options for the Creek Area
  • to provide advice on the most appropriate planning route to achieve the regeneration objectives for the creek area

You can download the Development Plan document (PDF 2.88MB).

A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Supplementary Document  (2010) (PDF 41.77kb) provides guidance on the change of use or redevelopment of previously developed land within the 1:20 year flood risk area of Faversham Creek and has been produced in consultation with the Environment Agency.

Public exhibition

The steering group held a public exhibition on Saturday 5 May, 2012. The files below show the information displayed by the neighbourhood plan steering group.

Overview of past work on Faversham Creek by Swale Borough Council

Together with the support of Kent County Council and the Faversham Municipal Charities, we produced an Area Action Plan (AAP) Development Plan Document (DPD) for Faversham Creekside.

The plan will bring together physical, economic and social agendas into an integrated approach to making the place work better. The period to be covered by the DPD is between 2006 and 2026.

What has happened so far?

  • adoption of our adopted local plan, which identifies a requirement for an area action plan for Faversham Creek (one out of nine in the Borough)
  • appointment of 'urban initiatives' to provide support for consultation activities
  • on-site surgery sessions for the creek side landowners with development interests.
  • Davington Primary School children went on a creek safari around the creek looking at the issues it currently has, they then produced postcards detailing how they would like to see the creek in 10 years’ time. These postcards were on display at the public exhibitions.
  • a two-day workshop also took place on 13 and 14 June, with invitees comprising a wide range of community organisations and interest groups
  • together, the community organisations and interest groups formed the Creek Team and as a group will play a particularly active part in contributing to the area action plan.
  • as part of this workshop event the Creek Team walked the creek side and took part in a 'place check' exercise; this was a means of assessing the qualities of the area, deciding what improvements are needed, and focusing the Creek Team on working together to achieve them. The exercise enabled the team to start prioritising issues, focus on the constraints and opportunities of the site and identify strategic objectives for Faversham Creekside.
    This was followed up by themed discussions on issues and options in the context of the creek e.g. movement, tourism, open space, environmental issues and public realm. Further discussions included working with the identified opportunities and strategic objectives to identify elements to be reflected in a vision statement for the future of Faversham Creek.

You can view the details of the issues arising out of the consultation (PDF 88.22kb).

Who makes up the Creek Team?

The Creek Team is made up of a wide range of community organisations, including residents’ groups, those working with the young and old, transport and amenity interest groups, along with local businesses and traders. Also involved are interest groups from across the town, landowners, stakeholders and council officers. The aim is to involve local organisations within Faversham Creekside area and to establish a good representative spread of interests, ages and occupations.

The team will:

  • provide local knowledge and expertise
  • act as a sounding board for emerging ideas
  • be a voice for community interests
  • produce guidance for regeneration by contributing to the development of the area action plan
  • be ambassadors and champions for regeneration principles by hosting meetings with their parent organisations and encouraging neighbours and colleagues to attend the public events

The latest stage of the DPD process was a Creek Team workshop held on Wednesday 26 of November, 2008. At this workshop the Creek Team discussed and finalised the following aspects of the area action plan:

  • the vision
  • the supporting themes
  • initial thoughts on objectives for each of the themes and a list of priorities

You can download the workshop report (PDF 745.43kb).

A final Stakeholder and Consultation Report has now been published and can be viewed below.

Elsewhere on the web

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