Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan: Submission Documents

In accordance with Part 5 Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning General Regulations 2012 as amended by the Neighbourhood Planning (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (The Regulations), on the 5th march 2018 Brigstock Parish Council submitted the Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan to East Northamptonshire Council.

The Minutes of the Brigstock Parish Council meeting held on 17th January 2018 confirming approval of the draft Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents can be downloaded here:

Consultation Statement

(i) contains details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed neighbourhood development plan;

(ii) explains how they were consulted;

(iii) summarises the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; and

(iv) describes how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood development plan.

Basic Conditions Statement

The Basic Conditions Statement which explains how the proposed neighbourhood development plan meets the requirements of paragraph 8 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act and The Regulations. The Basic Conditions Statement also contains:

(i) a map which identifies the area to which the proposed neighbourhood development plan relates;

(ii) a statement of reasons for the determination that under regulation 9(1) of those Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004(a) the plan proposal is unlikely to have significant environmental effects (and, accordingly, does not require an environmental assessment); and

(iii) an Equalities Impact Assessment of the proposed neighbourhood development plan

Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment

A Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Statement for the Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan (October 2017) has been used to determine whether or not the contents of the Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan require a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with the European Directive 2001/42/EC and associated Environmental Assessment of Plan and Programmes Regulations 2004.The outcome of this assessment concludes that whilst environmental effects have the potential to take place as a result of the neighbourhood plan, including in relation to the majority of the SEA 'topics', it is considered that these are unlikely to be significant in the context of the SEA directive. Therefore, it is considered that the Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan is not subject to the requirements of the Directive 2001/41/EC, the 'SEA Directive' and accompanying regulations and therefore will not require a full Strategic Environmental Assessment to be undertaken.

A Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Statement (October 2017) was also produced to assess whether there are likely to be significant effects on European Sites as a result of the merging policies set out in the pre-submission draft Neighbourhood Plan that would necessitate the production of a full Habitat Regulations Assessment. The North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Habitats Regulations Assessment makes it clear that the focus for Habitats Regulations Screening in connection with the Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan should be the potential for the Plan, by itself or in combination with other Plans, to give rise to significant adverse impacts upon the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA and the Nene Washes SAC. Accordingly, the assessment looks at this in detail and its outcome suggest that there are likely to be no significant negative effects on the European Designated Sites resulting from the Policies detailed within the draft Brigstock Neighbourhood Plan. Therefore, based on the submitted draft, a full Habitat Regulations Assessment is not required.

The environmental assessment consultation bodies (Historic England, Natural England and the Environment Agency) have been consulted on the Screening Assessments and their responses are below: