Preston Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2018 - 2031
6. Introduction to Policies and Community Rights
Policies
To deliver the Plan’s objectives (Section 5), a set of policies has been developed with the community to ensure Preston Parish develops in a sustainable way.
6.1 The policies seek to achieve the objectives and deliver the Vision of the Plan and are grouped into the same five themes (see pages 21-23).Some policies apply to more than one theme.
6.2 The Neighbourhood Plan policies follow the Government’s guidance set out in the NPPF. They exist to:
- Reflect the needs and priorities of the local community (paragraph 1)
- Support strategic development set out in the Local Plan (paragraph 16)
- Identify green areas for special protection (paragraph 76)
- To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment (paragraph 80)
- Set out requirements in advance for new development in an area(paragraph 58)
- Inform and guide decisions on planning applications (paragraph 183)
- Ensure that the multitude of individual decisions add up to something coherent for the area as a whole(paragraphs 58, 70, 109, 126)
6.4 As expected, during consultation events, the local community identified a number of projects that fall outside the remit of the planning system. Where relevant, these appear in a white box below the policies and, if appropriate, will be taken forward by the Parish Council outside of the Neighbourhood Plan process. It is recognised that some suggestions may not be within the powers of either the Neighbourhood Plan or the Parish Council. Prospective ventures proposed by local residents but which fall outside of the remit of the Parish Council are listed in the Project List which can be found on page 97.
Community Rights
6.5 The parishioners of Preston have a proven track record of pioneering community ventures.
6.6 In response to proposals to develop the Red Lion, in a way which was unacceptable to the majority of the community, in 1983 Preston became the first village in Britain to buy its Public House from a Brewery. This facility has been successfully maintained as a community asset, as demonstrated by the responses to the Neighbourhood Plan Survey in 2017.
6.7 Supported by the Parish Council, a group of local residents successfully lobbied BT which resulted in the adoption of a new approach to rural broadband. We then partnered with them to obtain the first part community funded fibre broadband installation. The approach is now a core BT policy and in January 2017 over 100 rural communities were benefiting from this initiative.
6.8 Other community initiatives include the construction of a new pavilion on the Recreation Ground funded by a Lottery Grant which has supported Preston Cricket Club to field 6 teams during the season.
6.9 Another project involving local residents was the re-roofing and refurbishment of St. Martin's Church, with the addition of two new stained glass windows, both designed by Peter Caller, a local resident. Exact details of the work can be found in the information pamphlets, which are available in St Martin’s for visitors. Although St Martin’s is one of a very few Arts & Crafts Churches, it is not considered by English Heritage and others to be sufficiently ancient to attract grants. Hence, the work was funded by local endeavours which raised a total of £90 000 between 1985 and 2003. The restoration of the East window in 2005 cost £12 500, funded from a public appeal to the parish. Other work has been funded by families involved in the Church and internal decoration was undertaken by volunteers from the village.
6.10 There are four Community Rights contained within the Localism Act that came into effect in 2012 devolving power from government to communities, local authorities and individuals. They are the right to bid, to build, to challenge and to reclaim land. Three of these four may be employed by the Parish Council, individuals and parish organisations in support of the other policies in this Plan.
https://mycommunity.org.uk/resources/what-are-the-community-rights/
In the event that a building or land that the parish wish to preserve or use for a purpose or venture which supports one or more of the Objectives in this Plan, then this right may be used to "pause" the sale while the community attempt to raise funding to bid to acquire the land or building. For example: if a community led project develops a business model for a village store, the premises for the store may be acquired through this process.
In order for this part of the Localism Act to be used, the land or building must first have been added to the List of Assets of Community Value (ACV) held by the District Council. The assessment of possible land or buildings that could be ACVs has been added to the Project List.
Combined with other rights, this right may be used to ensure that any development within the parish is consistent with the needs and wants identified in the Neighbourhood Plan Survey 2017 and any subsequent consultations. It would involve the community carrying out the building project and may, for example, ensure that a development meets the community requirements for a mix of housing and affordability or provides a new village hall.
C) Community Right to Reclaim Land:
If the local authority is not developing land designated for some development, rather than use the Community Right to Bid the community may instead reclaim the land to use for community led housing or other community facilities.