A Referendum on the adoption of the Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan will be held next Thursday, 30th June.  Please make time to vote at the Bernard Hall.

A big turnout will show that the village is enthusiastic about having a say in its future.

The referendum question is :-

‘Do you want Buckinghamshire Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Cuddington to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’

We have set out some of the reasons that might persuade you to vote ‘Yes’.

Reasons to Vote ‘Yes’

The CNP has been written by residents from all parts of Cuddington to help guide and control development in line with the objectives identified through consultation with parishioners.

The CNP includes five planning policies that help to meet these objectives and provide appropriate levels of protection.

Three of the CNP planning policies are additional to those already in the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan:

• CDN01 Defines the settlement boundary around the existing edge of the built-up part of the village,  and restricts development outside the boundary
• CDN02 Defines and protects important views from footpaths ,into and out of the village
• CDN03 Defines and protects undesignated local heritage assets.

The CNP includes two policies that add more detail to those already in the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan:

• CDN04 Sets out detailed guidance for development within the Conservation Area
• CDN05 Sets out detailed guidance for development outside the Conservation Area.

If the CNP is approved all new planning applications in the parish of Cuddington will be assessed against these five local policies.

If the CNP is not approved, planning applications will be judged solely on strategic planning policies developed by the Government and Buckinghamshire Council,  without any local input.

 A high % turnout and % Vote ‘Yes’ will show that the CNP has the support of the village and give it significant weight in planning matters.

Thank you for your support

Notice of Referendum and Information on the Referendum (as published on the Buckinghamshire Council website).

Buckinghamshire Council has announced that a Referendum on the adoption of the Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan will be held on Thursday 30th June 2022 to decide on the question below:

‘Do you want Buckinghamshire Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Cuddington to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’

Applications to register to vote or to vote by post or proxy should be made to the Electoral Registration Officer, Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF based on the deadlines shown on the Notice.

At the moment, planning applications are assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP). If approved by referendum, the Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan (CNP) will also have to be taken into account in reaching decisions about planning applications within the parish of Cuddington.

The CNP includes the following policies:

Settlement Boundary - CDN 01

Important Local Views - CDN 02

Local Heritage Assets - CDN 03

Design of New Development in the Conservation Area - CDN 04

Design of New Development outside the Conservation Area - CDN 05

These policies add an extra level of detail (and protection) to policies within VALP. The commentary in the CNP explains the context and background to the proposed policies, and the objectives they seek to meet.

The Referendum is the final step in Cuddington adopting their own Neighbourhood Plan, a process which commenced in 2018.

The CNP has been prepared by the village, for the village. It has been the subject of two village surveys and an informal consultation on a Draft Plan by the Parish Council. This was followed by a formal consultation by Buckinghamshire Council and an Examination by an independent planning inspector. The Inspector made a number of recommendations to bring the CNP into line with national planning policy and VALP. These changes have been incorporated into the Referendum Version of the CNP for approval at referendum.

The poll will take place from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 30th June 2022 at The Bernard Hall, Upper Church Street, Cuddington HP18 0AP.  The count will take place at The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury HP19 8FF as soon as the ballot box arrives back at the council office shortly after close of poll.

We very much hope that everyone will take this important democratic opportunity by voting on polling day and supporting your local Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan.

Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed that, subject to any last-minute issues, the Draft Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan (CNP) will be published for public consultation from tomorrow, Friday 5 November for six weeks.

This is called the Regulation 16 stage and is an important step in the formal approval of the Plan.

After consultation, and Buckinghamshire Council’s confirmation that the CNP meets the necessary planning requirements, the Draft CNP and the responses to the consultation will be submitted to an independent Planning Inspector for examination.

The Plan will be modified to take account of the Planning Inspector’s comments and will then presented for approval at a referendum. This is the last and final stage of the process and requires a simple majority in favour for the CNP to be adopted.

The Parish Council has prepared a summary of the main factors (National, Regional and Local) likely to affect planning in the next 5 years.  You can read the update here.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the consultation. The Parish Council (PC) will now review the comments received and amend the Regulation 14 draft CNP to take account of the feedback. The CNP will then be submitted to Buckinghamshire Council as a Reg 15 version. It was heartening that in general there was support for the Plan.

It is likely that the bulk of the CNP Reg 14 document will remain unchanged but there will be some detailed amendments to bring it into line with planning law and other Neighbourhood Plans in the area. In particular more attention will be given to the protection of views into the village (from the surrounding countryside) and the benefit of existing historical features.

There were objections to the designation of the churchyard and allotments as Local Green Spaces that will need to be addressed before the PC publishes the next version of the CNP.

Concerns were raised about the Dadbrook Farm housing allocation site and the impact on views out of the village from neighbouring properties. The PC will do everything it can to influence the Dadbrook Farm housing proposals to minimise the impact of development on residents’ amenity once a planning application comes forward. We will also push for the maximum low cost and affordable housing allocation. However, there are some basic principles that cannot be changed:

• The Dadbrook Farm housing allocation is a strategic policy in the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP) and the PC has no choice but to include it in the CNP, otherwise the CNP is deemed to be invalid.
• Other potential housing sites in Cuddington have not been reviewed because the outstanding housing requirements of the village are already met by the Dadbrook Farm allocation.
• Private views from properties have no legal status or protection in planning although views from public viewpoints such as footpaths and village greens can be protected.

The consultation responses also included comments about traffic in the village and the need for a safe pedestrian/ cycle link to the A418. These are important issues but are not planning matters and, as such, cannot be addressed in the CNP. The PC has been working to bring these matters to the attention of Transport for Bucks and the Buckinghamshire Council. Updates are regularly posted in Village Voice and the PC will continue to pursue these objectives and others such as improved Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity on behalf of the village.

The Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan (CNP) started in 2018 with data gathering and two village surveys (summer 2018 and spring 2019). This information has been used to prepare a Pre-Submission Draft Neighbourhood Plan for consultation.  The Consultation ran from 26th October to 7th December 2020.

Consultation documents (Regulation 14)

The Pre-Submission Draft CNP and its seven appendices are here.  A paper copy of the Consultation document and Feedback Form was delivered to residents before the formal consultation period started on Monday 26th October.

What happens next

Comments will be collated and taken into account to finalise the Submission Draft (Regulation 15) of the CNP before it is submitted formally to Buckinghamshire Council (Bucks Council).

After submission, responsibility for taking the process forward lies with the local planning authority (Bucks Council).  The local authority will publicise the plan (Regulation 16) and arrange for the independent examination.  This will consider whether the neighbourhood plan meets the basic conditions and other legal requirements.  If successful at the examination stage, with modifications if necessary, the local authority will then arrange for a Neighbourhood Plan referendum.  If there is a majority ‘yes’ vote, then the Neighbourhood Plan is ‘made’ i.e. approved and becomes part of the statutory development plan for the area.

Once the Submission draft is accepted and registered by Buckinghamshire Council its progress can be followed on the Bucks planning website.  Further updates will be posted on the village notice boards, on Cuddington village website and in Village Voice.

Thank you for your help.

Cuddington Parish Council

The Neighbourhood Plan Public Exhibition was held on Friday 29th, Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st March.  107 people attended over the three days.

Clarifications from the Village Exhibition

There was a lively discussion at the Exhibition and a number of issues were raised by villagers.  The following is a summary of the main issues not fully covered in the consultation document:

1. When will the Historic Review that is referenced under the Environmental Assessment be taking place?

Probably in May 2019 before we finalise the draft NP

2. What are the timescales and key milestones after the 10th April?

A preliminary report on the second survey and exhibition will be published with recommendations to the Parish Council by Tuesday 23rd April (next PC meeting).  There will be a progress report to the Annual Village Meeting on Tuesday 30th April at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

3. Who are the promoters / agents for each site?

Site 1: Hockaday Paddock - Rectory Homes

Site 2: Holymans Farm - Savills (Agents)

Site 3: Palm Piece - Rectory Homes

Site 4: Allotments - Rectory Homes

Site 5: Dadbrook Farm - Brown and Company (Agents)

Site 6: Healey Garden - Mr Healey (owner)

4. What are the housing requirements?

We need a minimum of 12 new homes to be consistent with the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP)

VALP Table 2 shows 25 houses allocated in Cuddington

4 completions/commitments, 21 allocated

The 21 allocated were 6 for Aylesbury Road and 15 for Dadbrook

Aylesbury Road planning application (approved) was for 8 houses and one new house is being built at Dadbrook.

So the current figures are :-

13 completions/commitments, (min) 12 (to be) allocated

5. Can we control development within the plan period?

The current planning context is provided by the Aylesbury Vale Local Plan.  This will be replaced later in the year when VALP is adopted.

It is hoped that the Cuddington NP will be adopted by summer 2019.  It will then hold until 2033 but is subject to review every 5 years, i.e. in 2024 and 2029.

Once the NP is adopted only those sites that have been allocated in the NP can be built and developers will need to submit detailed proposals and a planning application for approval by AVDC in the usual way.

Planning applications for sites NOT allocated in the NP will not normally be granted unless the developer can demonstrate that there is a significant shortage of housing within the district as a whole.

(The planning position for infill sites is described in Question 6 below).

The new Buckinghamshire unitary authority will replace AVDC as the planning authority in 2020 and will probably complete a new planning policy to replace VALP before we need to review the Cuddington NP in 2024.  The new planning strategy may look for villages like Cuddington to take more houses however this seems unlikely in that:-

a) Housing requirements seem to be going down

b) We will have a recently adopted NP that includes housing allocations

c) Most of the housing growth will be in the north of the area and linked to the expressway

6. How are infill sites treated in planning terms?

Until VALP is adopted later in the year the planning policies in the Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan (AVDLP) apply.

The advice from AVDC planning is “that AVDLP is the adopted plan with full weight and for a development of 4 homes if it came in now it is that which we would (use to) determine the planning application.  If the application comes in in October, say, then we might be using the VALP by then, but it only replaces AVDLP on adoption.  VALP will have some weight, but limited, in the meantime”.

AVDLP includes planning policies for small infill sites in villages but, once adopted, VALP will protect medium sized villages such as Cuddington from infill except in exceptional circumstances.  This means that there is a ’window’ between now and the end of the year when infill applications could be considered by AVDC.

7. Who chooses the sites to be allocated?

The NP Steering Group will review the findings of the village surveys (1st and 2^nd) alongside the environmental report prepared by ONeill Homer.  They will make a recommendation to the Parish Council who will decide which site(s) to include in the DRAFT NP.

The DRAFT NP will then be subject to further consultation and amendment before it is submitted for independent planning review and a Referendum.

8. How will a housing site be selected?

A proposed housing allocation will be selected for consideration by the Parish Council based on:-

1. Community preferences

2. Environmental effects

3. Contribution to potential community benefits

4. Contribution towards the NP Vison and Objectives eg low cost housing and access

9. What are the details of the proposed Palm Piece parking area?

If the site is allocated, the details, including the size and location of the parking area, would be settled later, when a planning application is made.  The intention is that vehicle access would be from the proposed highway access on to Bridgeway and not from the existing concrete path.  There would be pedestrian access between the parking area and the Upper Green via the existing concrete path.

The parking area would be available for all users and is likely to be an informal gravel surface.

For the school, the parking area would potentially give access to the back of the school field via a secure gate for teachers only.  For safety reasons, parents would be able use the parking area but would still need to drop off and pick up their children from the front of the school as they do now.

10.  If Palm Piece or Hockaday Paddock sites were selected would extending the 30mph limits be mandatory and would they definitely happen?

Any proposed changes to speed limits as a result of new development along Aylesbury Road or Bridgeway would need to be approved by the highway authority (Bucks CC) after consultation with the police as enforcing authority.

Following the traffic survey and feasibility study last year the Parish Council are working with Bucks highways to understand the options available and the likely costs.

11. Why is Dadbrook back on the list of possible sites?

The history of the Dadbrook proposals are as follows:-

15 homes were allocated at Dadbrook Farm in the draft VALP by AVDC

The owner wanted more homes on the site to help pay for the necessary relocation of farm activities elsewhere on his landholdings.

The 15 homes are proposed to come out of VALP as they are ‘undeliverable’ ie the landowner won’t release the land for only 15 homes*.

The landowner is now promoting the removal of some farm buildings and the development of 31 new homes through the NP

*The current planning position is set out in AVDCs Examination document ED178 :-

Question I24.1

The Council agreed to revisit the question of deliverability of site CDN003 without a larger allocation conducive to the landowner’s desire to underwrite the relocation of farm buildings.

AVDC Response

AVDC contacted the site promoter Brown & Co of Banbury on 30 July 2018 to ascertain the intentions for the site and find out if the site were allocated for 15 homes as per the VALP allocation boundary, whether they would develop the site and if so when might a planning application come in.

The Council received a response from Brown & Co of Banbury on 14 August 2018 which is the letter below.  The letter confirms the promoter is not interesting in progressing a development of the size and site boundary shown in the VALP Submission.  If the site were allocated there would be no prospect of the site as described in site allocation proposal DCDN003 coming forward as a planning application.

Therefore the Council has now found that the site allocation proposal D-CDN003 is undeliverable under the terms the definition of a ‘deliverable site’ as set out in footnote 11 (paragraph 47) of the NPPF (2012).  AVDC’s response to the Inspector’s Question I24.1 is as the site promoter does not support this amount of development and is seeking a larger development on a larger site than what is shown in the VALP, we will be suggesting the site CDN003 shown in the Submitted VALP is deleted through a modification.  We intend to show this as a Proposed Modification.

The site promoter can respond to the Modifications consultation if they wish to reassess their position and also has the neighbourhood plan route available.  The Council understands the site promoter has been engaging with the parish council regarding promoting a site for the neighbourhood plan which is at an early stage of preparation.

An Overview of the Summer Village Survey has been circulated in the November issue of Village Voice and is attached here.

A second Village Consultation is planned to start in December, culminating with an Exhibition early in 2019.  The Neighbourhood Plan Task Groups have now been set up and are collecting information to guide policies on housing, design, parking and the protection and enhancement of green spaces, footpaths and community assets.  The Task Groups will be reporting back early in the New Year.  Please keep an eye on the website/sign up to email alerts to keep informed.  

Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP)

The Planning Inspector has issued his interim report on VALP.  This can be found on the AVDC website as ED 166: https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/examination-documents

In order for the Plan to be approved the Inspector has asked AVDC to find locations for additional housing and to amend some of their planning policies.  If major modifications are required to VALP these will be considered in early 2019 and will be subject to further public consultation.  As far as we are aware these changes are not likely to affect the position for Cuddington, but we will keep you informed through Village Voice and the website.  You can also follow progress on the AVDC website shown above.

Developers, landowners and the wider public are invited to put forward potential development sites (for any use(s)) in order to inform the preparation of the Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan

The survey includes potential sites for uses other than housing, such as employment, retail, and leisure uses.

Please enter the relevant information on the use(s) you consider appropriate for the site, including mixed uses, on the attached form.  

It is important to note that the promotion of land does not mean the site will proceed to a detailed assessment in the Neighbourhood Plan and also does not imply that the Steering Group considers that the site is suitable for development either now or in the future. Potential sites that have been identified will be further tested through the Neighbourhood Plan process including Sustainability Appraisal/ Strategic Environmental Assessment, several stages of public participation and independent examination.

How do I submit sites?

Please complete the sites proforma (attached here) with a site plan with the land clearly shown etched in red and send to:

Email: cpc.neighbourhoodplan@gmail.com

Post: Cuddington Neighbourhood Plan team, c/o Parish Clerk, Prospect Cottage, The Green, Chearsley, Ayelsbury, Bucks, HP18 0DJ.

A reminder that Cuddington’s Neighbourhood Plan has a dedicated section on the website.  You’ll find the pages under 'Neighbourhood Plan' located on the menu on the left hand side of the page.

To be notified by email as soon as a new article concerning the Neighbourhood Plan is published, simply register as a website member (click ‘Register Here’ at the bottom of the menu on the left hand side of the page) and click ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ as a preference (in addition to any other areas of interest to you in the village).  Make sure that the ‘Tick this box to receive email notifications…’ checkbox is ticked.

If you’re already a website member, update your preferences to include the Neighbourhood Plan pages:
  ✧ Select ‘Register Here > Sign in’ from the menu and sign in using your user name and password
  ✧ Click the ‘Your Preferences’ tab
  ✧ Tick the ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ area of interest (and any others that relate to your interests)
  ✧ Make sure that the ‘Tick this box to receive email notifications…’ checkbox is ticked
  ✧ Click the ‘Submit’ button 

We look forward to keeping you informed.

Thank you to all who attended the Vision Workshop on Wednesday 30th May, and to those who have expressed an interest in getting involved but were unable to make the date.

The presentation by ONeill Homer has been uploaded and is attached here.

The next meeting, which will establish the Steering Group and Task Groups, has been arranged for Wednesday 13th June 2018 in St Nicholas’s Church at the later time of 8.30pm.  Please confirm your attendance by replying to the new email address cpc.neighbourhoodplan@gmail.com, set up specifically for the Neighbourhood Plan, by Friday 9th June 2018 indicating if you have a preference for becoming a Steering Group member or Task member of the five key areas:

1. Design, Environment, Green Infrastructure
2. Traffic
3. Housing
4. Social Infrastructure
5. Communication/Consultation

A reminder that you can be in more than one Task team and the lead of the Task team has to be a Steering Group member, so that they can report back to the Steering Group.

Please help spread the word about the Neighbourhood Plan and its purpose to create a vision for life in Cuddington in 20 years’ time.

ONeill Homer will be chairing a Vision Meeting for Cuddington’s Neighbourhood Plan this coming Wednesday, 30th May at 6-8pm in Ashendon Village Hall (unfortunately the Bernard Hall was not available).

The first part of the meeting with explain the process and roles i.e who does what.  This will enable a Steering Group to be formed with sub-groups undertaking specific tasks.  The second part of the meeting will be taken up with setting out ideas about the future of Cuddington.  What people like, what could be better / needs improving.  How we see the village developing over the next 20 years or so.  We will also touch on external pressures on the village such as traffic.

The overall aim is to set out principles for the Neighbourhood Plan that can then be circulated throughout the village for feedback.  This then sets the context / objectives for the Plan and the work that follows.

Please come along and hear more.  Please park in the car park at Ashendon Playing Fields (turn left at the bus shelter and then immediately left.)  There is limited car parking at the Village Hall.  The postcode for Ashendon Village Hall is HP18 0HB.

At the Village Meeting on 18th April questions were raised about the ability of an approved (‘made’) Neighbourhood Plan (NP) to resist challenges from developers promoting housing on land not identified in the NP.

There are two main issues; consistency of the NP with the Districts Local Plan and the availability of enough housing for the next 5 years (called the 5 year land supply).

The NP needs to be consistent with the Local Plan (in our case the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP)) and it is part of the approval process that this is confirmed.  Therefore, once approved, the NP cannot be challenged on this point provided that the planning authority (currently AVDC) have correctly reviewed the NP.  By employing an independent planning consultant to assist us in the preparation of the NP we will be checking that this process is completed and is legally sound.

The other issue that can invalidate a NP is the availability of housing land.  The planning authority are obliged by law to maintain a housing supply of at least 5 years.  This means that there must be enough approved planning applications to meet the predicted 5-year demand for housing.  Until very recently AVDC did not have a 5-year land supply but they say that they do now.  This will be tested at the forthcoming examination of VALP later this year and we should know by the end of the year if the AVDC figures have been accepted by the Government’s planning inspector.

At the village meeting an example was given of an approved NP in South Oxfordshire that been unable to resist a legal challenge from developers.  It is believed that this was a reference to the Henley NP:-

http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/henley-on-thames/114022/so-are-our-neighbourhood-plans-worth-even-the-paper-they-re-printed-on-at-huge-expense.html

In this case the District Council had failed to demonstrate even a 3-year housing supply and this meant that developers could argue that there was a need to find additional land for housing and apply for planning approvals on land not identified in the NP.

What this case illustrates (as did the problems with the Haddenham NP) is that in Cuddington we are reliant on AVDC to a) properly check the NP and b) deliver a 5-year land supply.

We are hopeful that the programme for the Cuddington NP will avoid the problems experienced in South Oxfordshire.  Assuming an 18-month timeframe for the NP, by the time we are seeking approval of the NP we should have the benefit of an adopted local plan (VALP) and an agreed 5-year land supply.  This will give us confidence that the Cuddington NP will be able to resist challenges from developers.

In order to keep informed of the process and receive regular news items, a dedicated Neighbourhood Plan page has been set up on cuddingtonvillage.com.

The Parish Council has received formal notification today (5th April 2018) that the Cuddington Neighbourhood Area has been agreed by AVDC.  The Parish is now designated as a Neighbourhood Area, which allows Cuddington to submit a Neighbourhood Development Plan to AVDC for the publicity consultation and an examination to be undertaken. Please keep informed of the process here.

The presentation at the February meeting from planning consultant Oneill Homer can be viewed here.  The Parish Council is currently seeking a quotation and project plan from Oneill Homer to accompany an application for a grant.

Thank you to all volunteers who have expressed an interest in becoming involved with the Neighbourhood Plan (NHP).  We will keep you informed through the website and by email.

Please get in touch at cuddingtonpc@gmail.com if you would like to join as a volunteer resident.