Blewbury is creating a Neighbourhood Plan.  This will allow residents to influence planning decisions and development in Blewbury and is a new way for communities to have an influence on the future of the places where they live and work.

Our Neighbourhood Plan will eventually be subject to a referendum of local residents and if a majority who take part in the referendum support the plan, it will become a legal document. Decision-makers will be obliged, by law, to take what it says into account when they consider proposals for development in the parish.

Neighbourhood Planning has been introduced by the Government through the Localism Bill and wants to put power back into the hands of local residents, business, councils and civic leaders.  Neighbourhood Planning is a new way for communities to influence the future of the places where they live.

We will be able to influence planning permission for new development in the village.

Why does it matter?

The planning system helps decide what gets built, where and when. It is essential for
supporting economic growth, improving people’s quality of life, and protecting the
natural environment.

Neighbourhood planning is optional, not compulsory. No-one has to do it if they don’t want to. But we think that lots of people will want to take the opportunity to influence the future of the place where they live or work.

Blewbury is in the process of drawing up a Neighbourhood Plan.

This will set out the community’s view of the sort of place they would like Blewbury to be in the years ahead. It will also address local concerns by setting out how the community expect to see land  used and developed in the parish. Although these will have to be compatible with national and local planning policies, they still provide the local community with considerable opportunity to shape our future neighbourhood and to guide what sort of development happens where.

For instance, the Neighbourhood Plan could help to: protect open space used by the community from development, prevent buildings used for local businesses or community facilities being converted to other uses, influence what size or type of buildings are acceptable in different areas or establish what type of new housing is needed by those living or working in the parish. You will eventually be asked to vote on the finished plan which, if accepted by over 50% of those who vote, will form a legal document which must be taken in to consideration by the local planning department when considering planning applications.