neighbourhood plan

community, Environment, Facilities, health and wellbeing / By

neighbourhood plan have your say

The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, comprising parish councillors and community volunteers, has created draft proposals for both an update to the existing Neighbourhood Plan and a completely new one.

The update, aimed for completion in the first half of 2023, focuses on the intended use of the land set aside in 2017 for a new infant school and doctors’ surgery.

The new Neighbourhood Plan, aimed for completion by Autumn 2024, is wider-ranging and aims to reflect both emerging national/district policies and the latest community priorities.

The team welcome your feedback on their plans outlined below:

Use of Land Reserved Behind Tower Gardens

Background:

  • Whilst there is no foreseeable need for a new larger (three-form entry) school, there is a need for and benefit from outdoor school sports and play facilities and natural habitat. This should ideally be located directly next to the school, for ease of access. Additional parking for school staff is still needed.
  • Whilst there is a desire to offer additional medical services, that would warrant a larger premises, there is no foreseeable plan/funding to build a new surgery on the reserved land. 
  • Oaktree Dental Practice needs a larger premises and ideally wants to stay in Mortimer to continue to serve, in particular, its elderly and under-18 patients. 
  • Owners and prospective buyers of homes in Tower Gardens would like to know what the reserved land will be used for. 
Proposed update NDP policy relating to land behind Tower Gardens:
  1. To set aside up to 40% of the 1 Hectare for school sports and play facilities, natural habitat and parking for school staff vehicles. This plan will be achieved in one of two ways:

Preferred Option 

The new facilities will be located directly behind (south of) the school, by demolishing the adjacent property. Under this proposal, approximately 20 age-restricted retirement homes would be built on part of the land, to fund the acquisition of the adjacent property. The creation of these properties would align with the NDP’s requirement to support downsizing and be located close to the village centre. (see Preferred Option plan).

Alternative Option

The new outdoor school facilities will be located behind (to the south of) the existing property, in the event that the property is no longer available when the updated NDP is agreed. (see Alternative Option plan)

  1. To set aside land for a 300-500m2 dental facility and associated parking.
  2. To set aside the balance of the 1 Hectare for a doctors’ or other community facility and associated parking. If planning consent has not been obtained within 5 years of this updated Plan, the need to retain this land will be reviewed.
New Neighbourhood Plan 

 

Draft Vision 

To ensure that the parish becomes more sustainable, environmentally aware, and responsive to climate change, placing this at the heart of the New Neighbourhood Plan. To seek to provide housing for local people and enable the enhancement of services and facilities appropriate for a modern rural parish sustaining its existing strong community spirit. To support improved and safer pedestrian and cycle connections throughout the village including to the schools and station, and support initiatives to deliver better parking facilities. To continue to retain the rural character and setting of the parish, with the minimum extension of the settlement boundary and intrusion on the existing surrounding green and agricultural space.

Draft Topics 

The Steering Group seek your feedback on its draft proposals. There are questions within the document HERE 

Have Your Say

now that the drop-in sessions have finished there’s three ways to have your say:

  1. complete this form
  2. email your comments to newnp@stratfield-mortimer.gov.uk
  3. write to Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group c/o Mortimer Library, 27 Victoria Road