Neighbourhood Plan Process & documents

The Plan

The Neighbourhood Plan for Frome was submitted to Mendip District Council on 3rd September 2014. Following the public consultation which was carried out between 28th October 2013 and 31st December 2013, the plan was amended in response to the comments that were received from the Statutory Consultees and residents of Frome.

The policies within this plan are based on a significant body of evidence. This is made up of documents which were produced by the Town Council as well as evidence produced by the District Council for the Local Plan. These documents can be viewed below:

• Employment Land Study – November 2012 Appendices; 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23 7.24 7.25 8 9 10
• Town Centre Traffic Management Assessment – July 2013
• Frome River Strategy – November 2012
• Town Design Statement
• Open Spaces Strategy (FTC)
• Market Town Benchmarking Frome Report – 2012
• Frome Community Plan (2008 – 2028)
• Frome Town Centre Remodelling Feasibility Study – December 2012
• “The Case for Self Build”
• Strategy for Success (FTC 2011-15)
• Planning Brief for Saxonvale 2005
• Frome Station – a report for Frome Town Council April 2012
• Mendip District Council Draft Local Plan 2006-2028
• Mendip District Council Strategic Flood Risk – Assessment (Level 1)

The Consultation Process

Accompanying the plan is a Consultation Statement which sets out how the consultation process was carried  out together with supporting documents including a schedule of the amendments.

The Consultation Statement and Appendices can be viewed below:

• Consultation Statement
• Appendix I – Vision4Frome Community Plan (including the consultation methodology)
• Appendix ii – Report and feedback from the Citizen’s Panels held in Frome from May – July 2012
• Appendix iii – Example consultation letter
• Appendix iv – Schedule of consultation responses
• Appendix v – Example Feedback form
• Appendix vi -Consultation posters
• Appendix vii – Participate Frome report
• Appendix viii – Copy of consultation display boards
• Appendix ix – Schedule of modifications

Basic Conditions Statement

A basic conditions statement setting out how the draft neighbourhood plan meets the basic conditions must accompany the draft neighbourhood plan when it is submitted to the local planning authority.

The basic conditions state that the plan:

1. must be appropriate having regard to national policy
2. must contribute to the achievement of sustainable development
3. must be in general conformity with the strategic policies in the development plan for the local area
4. must be compatible with EU obligations including human rights requirements

Strategic Environmental Assessment

In some limited circumstances, where a neighbourhood plan could have significant environmental effects, it may fall within the scope of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 and so require a strategic environmental assessment. One of the basic conditions that will be tested by the independent examiner is whether the making of the neighbourhood plan is compatible with European Union obligations (including under the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive).

A screening report has been prepared for the Neighbourhood plan for Frome, which concludes that a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Plan is not required.

The basic conditions statement and Screening report for the Frome Neighbourhood Plan can be viewed below:-

• Screening report
• Appendix A – Somerset County Council HRA Screening Report Extract
• Appendix B – Assessment of Conformity with the emerging Local Plan (Where policy is relevant to Frome (BASIC CONDITIONS STATEMENT)
• Appendix C – Assessment of requirement for Strategic Environmental Assessment

Final Steps

The local planning authority (now Somerset Council) must publicise the neighbourhood plan for a minimum of six weeks, invite representations, notify any consultation body referred to in the consultation statement and send the draft neighbourhood plan to independent examination.

The independent examiner will test whether or not the draft neighbourhood plan for Frome meets the basic conditions and will determine whether a hearing will be required to listen to oral representation. The local planning authority then considers the report and decides whether to send the plan to referendum.

If the majority of those who vote in a referendum are in favour of the draft neighbourhood plan, then the neighbourhood plan must be made (brought into legal force) by the local planning authority.