The Government introduced the opportunity for local communities to prepare neighbourhood plans through amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Localism Act 2011, and through the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, which set out the requirements for neighbourhood plans.
Bridport Town Council, working with its four parish council partners of Allington, Bradpole, Bothenhampton & Walditch, and Symondsbury, has prepared this final version of the plan on behalf of those who live and work within these areas. As the qualifying body, the Town Council is entitled to submit a Neighbourhood Plan for the Bridport Area as designated through an application made in October 2013 under the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (part2 S6) and approved by West Dorset District Council on May 2014.
This neighbourhood plan has been informed by the strategic policies in the West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Local Plan 2011-2031 adopted 2015 and sets out a vision for the area through to 2036 supported by a set of planning polices and a series of specific projects. In accordance with the neighbourhood planning regulations, this plan is in general conformity with the adopted local plan and has been prepared through extensive community consultation.
“The councils of the Plan area, fully support the policies in this Plan and believe that it will make a real difference in our area in future developments. Our area has many advantages in its beauty, history and arts scene but most of all our dynamic, challenging and wonderful people.” Ian Bark, Chair Joint Councils Committee.
“The councils wanted the Plan to be created by the community for the community. Over 100 people over four years’ have been working to develop this Plan. We have consulted in many different ways to get as many views as possible to shape how our area will develop over the next two decades. The Plan has evolved as we have learnt what local people want. We can’t do everything that has been asked for but we hope that the Plan will have real influence over future development. The community has prepared this plan and as a result, there are different ‘voices’ and styles in this document. It has been my privilege to Chair the Steering Group and my deep and heartfelt thanks to the many, many people who have given up weeks of their time to deliver this Plan.” Phyllida Culpin Steering Group Chair
The National Planning Policy Framework (February 2019) sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied. It provides a framework within which locally-prepared plans, such as this neighbourhood plan, can be produced.
The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. At a very high level, the objective of sustainable development can be summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
This neighbourhood plan supports the delivery of strategic policies contained in local plans or spatial development strategies; and will help shape and direct development that is outside of these strategic policies.
Neighbourhood plans are policy-based land use plans that need to be in general conformity with the local plan. Currently the Local Plan for the neighbourhood plan area is the West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Local Plan 2015. Weymouth & Portland Borough Council adopted the plan on 15th October 2015 and West Dorset District Council adopted the plan on 22nd October 2015. This adopted local plan forms the main basis for making decisions on planning applications. In developing this plan consideration has been given to the Preferred Options review of the West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Joint Local Plan undertaken in 2018.
The local plan sets out a long-term planning strategy for the area and includes detailed policies and site proposals for housing, employment, leisure, and infrastructure. The local plan covers the administrative areas of Weymouth and Portland Borough and West Dorset District and forms part of the development plan for these areas.
When adopted, this neighbourhood plan will become part of the development plan for the Bridport area. This means it will sit alongside the local plan and be considered when deciding whether planning permission should be given and any conditions attached to that permission.
The following documents are available to support this neighbourhood plan:
“Neighbourhood planning gives communities the power to develop a shared vision for
their area” — paragraph 29 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Each stage of the Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan process has sought to extend the amount of common ground between residents, business groups and other stakeholders, narrowing down various options through a transparent and open process. At all stages, the neighbourhood planning process has allowed room for dissent and minority views, but the overall aim of the process has been to build a broad-based consensus around the policies and projects.
This process involved establishing a vision statement, a set of themed objectives and planning policies and projects to support these. The planning policy sections are as follows:
The plan concludes with a section on neighbourhood plan projects & actions and an appendix on shopfront design guidance. In the made version of this neighbourhood plan the individual policies within each theme will be applied to all future planning decision making processes for the Bridport area.
This neighbourhood plan is submitted to West Dorset District Council by Bridport Town Council, which, as the qualifying body, is entitled to submit a Neighbourhood Plan for the Bridport area as designated through an application made October 2013 under the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (part2 S6) and approved by West Dorset District Council on May 2014.
The Plan has been approved by the Joint Councils Committee, comprised of representatives from; Allington, Bradpole, Symondsbury, Bothenhampton & Walditch Parish Councils and Bridport Town Council.
Map 1 Designated Plan Area (unchanged)
