Planning policy
Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan
Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan
Current status
The plan was made by full Council on the 5 November 2019 and now forms part of the development plan for the consideration of proposals in the Neighbourhood Plan Area.
Examination 2019
The Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Neighbourhood Plan has been re-submitted for examination. Details of the examination can be found on the examination page below.
Regulation 16 publication 2019
In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, Epping Forest District Council is now publicising Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Neighbourhood Plan. Representations received under Regulation 16 regarding the plan proposal will be forwarded to an appointed examiner, who will assess the plan proposal and supporting documents against 7 basic conditions. The publication period of the plan proposal is between 12 noon on Tuesday 22 January and 4pm on Tuesday 5 March 2019. For more details and how to make a representation please visit the Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 publication and examination page on the website.
Examination 2016 and further Regulation 14 consultation
Following submission, the Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Neighbourhood Plan has now been considered by an independent examiner who provided his report on 18 May 2016. He found that the plan met the basic conditions in respect of being prepared in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012; its contribution to sustainable development, and that the plan does not breach, and is otherwise compatible with EU obligations and human rights requirements.
However, the Examiner made 21 recommendations proposing amendments to the plan. In his view there were fundamental issues in respect of two policies, (MBL1.1 Type, scale, size and design of new-build homes and MBL1.3 Redundant Buildings), which he considered must be resolved by the Parish Council and for which it was not possible for him to recommend modifications to make the policies acceptable. His recommendations include other modifications to aspects of the Plan to satisfy the basic conditions, in order that these may be considered if the Plan is the subject of further consultation and re-submission for examination.
Accordingly, the Examiner recommended that the Neighbourhood Plans should not proceed to Referendum.
The Examiner’s report was considered at the EFDC Cabinet meeting held on 21 July 2016 where the Council agreed with the Examiner that the Neighbourhood Plan proposal should be refused and therefore not proceed to the referendum stage.
The parish Council has subsequently considered the Examiners Report, including all the recommended changes, and undertook a Regulation 14 consultation which ran until 8 January 2018 on an updated Draft Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish Council is now considering the responses to this consultation, and if necessary will make the relevant changes before formally submitting the Neighbourhood Plan to Epping Forest District Council.
Publication of the Neighbourhood Plan proposal
In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended), Epping Forest District Council consulted residents and other interested stakeholders on this application. The Consultation ran for a 6 week period, commencing from Friday 12 February 2016 to Tuesday 29 March 2016. A copy of the Moreton, Bobbingworth and The Lavers Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents as required under Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended), can be viewed using the link below.
Screening opinion 2015
Neighbourhood Plans need to be prepared in accordance with relevant legislation. Current legislation requires all Neighbourhood Plans to be ‘screened’ for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA, which assesses likely impacts on environment, the economy and society) and Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA, which assesses likely impacts on protected habitats) i.e. tested to see whether a full assessment is necessary in each case. A Screening Toolkit is used to determine this. It has been determined that Moreton Bobbingworth & the Lavers Neighbourhood Plan does not need a Strategic Environmental Assessment to be prepared. Details on the screening and what it involves can be found using the links below.
Natural England has also confirmed that a Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) is not required.
Peer review
Following the close of the consultation period and after MBL Parish Council had considered comments received, the Parish Council requested an independent health check of their draft Neighbourhood Plan to assess its robustness.
Pre-submission consultation on the draft MBL NDP
In accordance with Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, MBL Parish Council consulted residents and other interested stakeholders on their pre-submission draft Neighbourhood Plan. The Consultation ran from 14 January to 24 March 2014. View the draft neighbourhood plan
Approval of the area application
Following the close of the 6 week consultation period, Epping Forest District Council considered all the comments received and prepared a report and recommendation to take to Cabinet on the 29 July 2013, where the Neighbourhood Plan area application has now been approved as a Neighbourhood Plan area. To comply with Regulation 7 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, Epping Forest District Council is publicising the following details:
- The name of the Neighbourhood area: Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Neighbourhood Area
- The name of the relevant body who applied for the designation: Moreton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers Parish Council