THE CONSULTATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT YOU CAN STILL VIEW THE VIDEO
WHAT IS A NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT ORDER?
A Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) is a planning tool created by the 2011 Localism Act that enables communities to shape development in their local area. Like an approved planning application, it grants permission for a specific development in a particular area. The permission may be in outline (with reserved matters) or in full, again like a normal planning permission.
A NDO must pass an examination and referendum and this consultation (Reg 21 Consultation) is part of the formal process.
The aim of an NDO is to encourage landowners and developers to bring about positive change and shape development in an area. The work on the Neighbourhood Plan and subsequent work on the Neighbourhood Development Order identified that the community wanted to see changes specifically in the plotlands and also more facilities in the village.
Like an approved planning application, and NDO grants permission for a specific development in a particular area. The key difference between the two is that an NDO is a proposal by the Parish Council and local community. NDOs must pass an examination and referendum.
Click on the square below to view a video of why the Parish Council is doing the NDO
What is the Parish Council proposing?
Basildon Council withdrew its Emerging Local Plan in 2022 and at this stage the Parish Council decided to put their Neighbourhood Plan on hold because it felt it could take it no further until a new Local Plan was adopted.
The withdrawal of the Basildon Local Plan was felt not to be a positive step and would not be of benefit to the village. It left both the village and the Plotlands in planning limbo with any change limited by its Green Belt setting and suffering the ongoing problems of unregulated development and enforcement.
The Parish Council decided to apply for funding to address the issues which were affecting the whole village. A successful application for funding was made in 2022 and the outcome of the work identified that by concentrating development in the plotlands this would benefit the whole village and hopefully prevent large scale development on our Green Belt in other parts of the village in the future.
With the help of the Steering Group, (who had also assisted with producing the Neighbourhood Plan, Parish Councillors, our consultants O’Neill Homer and additional technical support from AECOM ( consultants appointed by Locality) the Draft North Benfleet Plotlands Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) was borne. The Order will cover areas in North Benfleet known as the Plotlands (Click here for Map).
Due to the fact that existing roads would be unable to support any significant level of this additional development without the roads being upgraded to an acceptable standard a new Loop Road will be created. (Click here for Map)
Although the NDO primarily covers the north of the village the changes proposals will benefit the whole village and the views of the whole community are important as the Parish Council will use these views to prepare its final submission to the Inspector for Examination.
The Neighbourhood Development Order supporting documents can by found below ( just click on the name of the report to read) this will help you provide the your feedback.
THE CONSULTATION IS NOW CLOSED
Confidentiality and Data Protection Statement
PLEASE NOTE: If you respond to this consultation your personal details will not be published as part of this consultation response. Communication regarding the progress of the NDO will be published but no individual responses will be identified. Both Bowers Gifford & North Benfleet Parish Council and Steering Group Members have a duty to protect all personal information and data in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)