1. PLAN BACKGROUND

I am writing to indicate my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan. It has been a huge undertaking for those who have been instrumental in organising it. The public response to the questionnaires and the attendance at public meetings has been at a very high level demonstrating how keen the residents of Pirton are to see this plan come to fruition.

I attended the open meeting held this evening by the Pirton Neighbourhood Steering Committee. I think that the plan has been well researched and constructed and the consultation has been thorough. I do hope that the inspector and NHDC see fit to approve the plan and that the views of the majority of villagers are respected.

I attended the Consultation open-meeting this evening at the Pirton Village Hall at which I was able to meet members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and Parish Counsellors, inspect documents and ask detailed questions.

I would like to put on record that I consider every stage of the process to have been carried out with the utmost care, professionalism, sensitivity and thoroughness and that the consultation has, by any standards, been comprehensive. I fully support the work of the group and their published, pre-examination, plan.

I found your on line submission form very difficult and am not sure how much of my submission went through.
I am therefore writing to state that I fully support every aspect of the Pirton Development Plan.

Would you please register my endorsement of the above plan and would kindly ask that the committee move quickly to accept the plan and all its contents. As you know the village is under a considerable period of proposed change and a good constructive plan for a fair development is paramount.

1.3.11 Refers to EU laws that may no longer apply.

1.3.11 Refers to EU laws that may no longer apply.
1.3.12 Notes that the Plan does not allocate more sites for development.

Regarding the Regulation 16 Consultation for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan, I confirm that I support the Plan. I have been kept fully informed and believe that the whole community has been continually kept up to date throughout the process.

* There has been no meaningful dialogue with landowners during the creation of the NDP. The calling of a meeting in July 2016 was a "tick the box exercise" as only short notice was given (2 weeks maximum) and that was the harvest / school holiday period. It was made clear it was not to hear our opinion but to tell us what they wanted. The plan was not open to amendment. To suggest in the Basic Conditions Statement, Page 2 "Building on the open nature of the steering group meetings, it is important to confirm that all decisions made within the Plan have been informed by significant community consultation and stakeholder engagement including engagement with strategic landowners or promoters". In my opinion this basically not true.

* No updates or correspondence has been forthcoming.

* The creation of Visual Character Areas round the village is an attempt to put up a barrier to build houses in those locations. At no time has representatives of the PPC nor steering group had discussions with those who own these sites to ascertain any agreement.

* The cap of 30 houses on any individual site is illogical and can only be seen as a way of reducing new houses in the future.

* I am along with owners of substantial parcels of land in the Pirton Parish disappointed that our views have not been sought on any aspects of the Plan over which we have a lot of experience.

1.4.6 Planning permission for 87 houses has been granted with 11 Affordable homes. Notes that there is no requirement for further development and allocation of land for housing. "Affordable" is a word that's been hijacked...make sure the housing actually is affordable by fixing pricing to local incomes.

I write to support the Pirton neighbourhood development plan.
In my view it meets all the Basic Conditions and the community have been well consulted.

I am writing to express my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan in the current Regulation 16 Consultation. I believe that I have been adequately consulted and fully informed, and therefore support the Neighbourhood Plan

Would you please record my full support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan

I'm writing to let you know that I would like to endorse the Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan.

I have lived in Pirton for twenty years and have seen changes over that time
There have been many small new housing developments, and continual improvements to the public areas (recreation ground and club, maypole on village green, village pond, footpaths etc.), all of which have been in keeping with the character of a North Hertfordshire village.

Once again the Steering Committee have put great effort into consulting the people who live in and are currently effected by our neighbourhood plan.

Yesterday I attended an open afternoon/evening where members of the Committee were available to talk through the plan and answer any questions; this open event is just one of the many ways that the Steering Group have canvassed our opinions, taken our ideas on board and kept us informed of progress.

I would highly recommend Pirton Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee as a blueprint for ensuring all villagers are consulted, kept up to date with progress and most especially "listened to" about plans affecting them.

My overall impression is that this is a thorough detailed and well-thought out plan that has been produced by Pirton Parish Council, with involvement from the community. Development is restricted to 82-87 houses. Specific points are mentioned via the online representation form but generally I would back their calls for high attention to keeping the character and features of Pirton as outlined in their 82-page document "Character assessment". The Plan specifically highlights poor public transport in combination with roads unsafe for walking/cycling and high car ownership. It talks about poor broadband and mobile coverage (which is needed to encourage homeworking, and thus reduce the need for car-use). There is an emphasis on affordable local mixed-type housing, which should not be "Affordable" in Orwellian terms (80% of market value) but actually affordable and linked to local incomes. Otherwise I very much like those elements that protect the countryside such as retention of hedgerows during development and preservation of green passageways for wildlife. These elements need stronger protection, however, as they are weakened by caveats such as "if possible". If there is no choice but to remove hedgerows and trees they should be replaced.

It's very important for us to have this plan.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.
I have no hesitation in doing this because:
It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
* been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
* received so much community response, or
* can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
* And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
** at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
** 90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
** 88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.
I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

I am sending this E-mail to show my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood plan. I have been consulted on my views regarding the plan and have been given all of the information I required to come to my decision.

I wish to register my unqualified support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

It genuinely represents the views of the community of Pirton.
No other Pirton document or process has been the subject of so much genuine consultation or received so much community response, or an be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority

Most importantly, no other process has received such an amazing mandate from the community.
Compared with other communities nationally Pirton's Neighbourhood Plan has had an unbelievably high response:
a. at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
b. 90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
c. 88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.

These extremely high percentages across age groups give the whole process validation statistically.
Thus I believe it can truly be said that the Neighbourhood Plan is the voice of the village in a way: no other document is comparable.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless.
The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

The plan truly reflects the majority of the views of Pirton residents, both young and old.

The Neighbourhood Plan outlines what the majority of Pirton residents believe reflects sustainable development for the village and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

We wish to register our support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

Whilst we do not agree with every aspect of the Plan, we strongly support it as a whole as it represents the views of the community of Pirton and reflects the responses of a large proportion of residents after considerable consultation.

The community of Pirton have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects and documents this view.

We have read the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and agree with its content and policies. We urge you to accept the Plan and to take it to a referendum as soon as possible.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

* It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
o been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
o received so much community response, or
o can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
o And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
*90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
*88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

* It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
o been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
o received so much community response, or
o can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
o And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
*90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
*88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because I believe that it represents a fair balance between protecting the character of the village whilst still allowing it to evolve in a sustainable way.

At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation process.

I have read the Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies. It is clear that a huge amount of time and effort has been put into developing the Plan, and the exhaustive consultation process demonstrates that it reflects a broad consensus of the wishes of Pirton residents. For this reason I urge you to accept the Plan and to progress it to the next stage as soon as possible.

I wish to register my support for the 'Pirton Neighbourhood Plan' as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

* It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
o been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
o received so much community response, or
o can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
o And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
*at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
*90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
*88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

As part of the Regulation 16 consultation, I am contacting you to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan.
I have been consulted and have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I completely agree with the content and policies therein.
I urge you to accept this Plan and to progress it to referendum as soon as possible.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

* It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
o been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
o received so much community response, or
o can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
o And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
*at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
*90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
*88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

As an inhabitant of the village of Pirton I consider that I have been:

adequately consulted by those who have prepared the Neighbourhood Plan;

have been kept fully informed as it evolved,

and, most significantly, I fully support it as it undergoes Regulation16 consultation.

I wish to support the Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan 2011-2031. The Steering Group has consulted the villagers at all stages and widely canvassed our opinions on the future of our community with a response rate of over 80%. The Plan reflects the majority view that Pirton should be allowed to develop gently, with an increase of about 50 dwellings by 2031, the majority of these to be 2- or 3-bedroomed or starter homes. I agree with this as I do not think that our infrastructure, particularly roads, can support a bigger increase. There is also a general desire to retain the present character of the village.

I could go into my reasons for supporting the Plan in more detail, but will restrain myself. In short, it has my full support.