1.1 The Neighbourhood Plan is the community’s Plan. It has been prepared by a steering group of local residents, overseen by the Parish Council. The group has met regularly since May 2015, collecting evidence and consulting on the issues that were identified as important to the community, before agreeing the draft plan for consultation.
1.2 The Plan sets out the vision and priorities for how the community would like to see the area develop and change in the coming years, and in doing so it sets out planning policies which will be taken into account as and when any planning proposals and developments come forward in the Plan area - which comprises the three parishes of Broadwindsor, Burstock and Seaborough.
1.3 The Plan cannot deal with every issue identified as being important to the community: it has a focus on responding to proposals for development and the appropriate use of land. In this way, it puts us as a community in the driving seat when it comes to having a say over what, how and where any development should take place when it needs planning permission.
1.4 The Plan covers the period 2018 to 2031. The Plan and its policies reflect our area’s own characteristics while recognising that it has a lot in common with other parts of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
Map 1. Designated Neighbourhood Plan Area
© Crown copyright and database right. All rights reserved (100051431) 2017
1.5 The Neighbourhood Plan area follows the parish boundaries of Broadwindsor, Seaborough and Burstock. It covers an area of approximately 34 km2(13 square miles). It was designated by West Dorset District Council in September 2015
1.6 The recorded population for the Neighbourhood Plan area at the last Census (2011) was 1,498 ‘usual residents’, living in 662 dwellings and other residential establishments (a further 82 dwellings were unoccupied – such as holiday and second homes). Although the area has a slightly older population profile than typical for West Dorset, most residents (79%) considered themselves to be in good or very good health, compared to 6% in bad health, which is in line with the district average.
1.7 About two-thirds of working age adults (65%) are economically active, and unemployment levels have been low (2.9%). What is notable is the greater reliance on self-employment (33% being self-employed, compared to 22% across the district).
1.8 Average house prices (2016: approximately £275,000) are nearly 8 times greater than typical wage levels and household incomes (estimated at around £35,000).
1.9 The Plan area sits largely within the undulating hills feeding the River Axe and its tributaries. Much of the area (with the exception of the north-western part) lies within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – a nationally valued landscape. Lewesdon Hill Fort is a nationally important scheduled monument within the plan area, and Pilsdon Pen and Waddon Hill (also scheduled monuments) lie just outside the area to the south. A map showing the extent of the AONB, is included in Section 2.
1.10 There is an extensive network of public rights of way and unclassified roads criss-crossing the area. Hursey Common (west of Broadwindsor) and the area of Burstock Down within the parish below Lewesdon Hill are registered common land. Significant tracts of land are locally important nature conservation sites.
1.11 Broadwindsor Conservation Area was designated in 1993, and in total there are 95 Listed buildings or structures within the Neighbourhood Plan area, 10 of which are Grade II*. Seaborough Court is a locally listed historic garden.
Seaborough Court
1.12 When made, the Neighbourhood Plan, together with the adopted West Dorset and Weymouth Local Plan and the Dorset Minerals and Waste Plans, will form the development plan. By law (section 70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) decisions on planning applications should be made in accordance with the development plan, and any deviation from the plan must be justified.
1.13 The strategy set out in the Local Plan (adopted in October 2015) recognises that the distribution of development in the area should be influenced by:
1.14 As a result most of the growth is directed towards the main settlements. Within the Neighbourhood Plan area, development opportunities are to be focused primarily at Broadwindsor as it is one the West Dorset’s larger villages, and to a lesser extent at other existing settlements, at an appropriate scale to the size of the village. Away from existing settlements, development opportunities will be more limited to those activities that will help to continue to support the rural economy or help in the long-term management of the countryside and its unique character.
1.15 The Local Plan does not set a specific housing target for this area, although changes to national planning policy may require this in the future. The District Council has provided support to the Parish Council in assessing likely housing need. This research indicates that the provision of about 4 to 5 dwellings on average each year would be an appropriate basis on which to prepare this Neighbourhood Plan, provided that suitable, sustainable locations can be found.
1.16 Similarly there is no target for economic growth, other than to consider information on local need for jobs and facilities, to reduce the need to travel and promote economic growth and social inclusion.
| Our vision is that during the next twenty years residents will have enough suitable and environmentally friendly homes, which fit into the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which they value so highly; and that there will be good schools, safe roadways and support for local employment and local services which ensure that all ages, in every part of our parish, are able to enjoy life to the full. |
| Objective 1: Care for the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
|
This Plan contains policies aimed specifically at protected valued features of the local landscape, its dark skies, local green spaces and the distinctive character of the various settlements. The AONB advisor and Conservation Team at the District Council have been involved in the selection of sites. |
| Objective 2: Plan for enough suitable and environmentally friendly homes
|
This Plan contains a specific policy on the number and type of housing needed. New sites are focused at Broadwindsor, but also around Drimpton, and through the conversion of rural buildings. The design guidance highlights the need for renewable energy and sustainable drainage solutions. |
Objective 3: Support local services and employment
|
This Plan identifies an employment site at Axe Mill that could be expanded if space is required for new businesses, in addition to the existing business area at Horn Park Quarry. Opportunities may also exist within or adjoining the settlements across the area, and through the conversion of existing buildings. |
| Objective 4: Encourage the improvement of transport and communications
|
These elements fall largely outside the remit of a Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish Council will consider how to take these forward, liaising with the highways and other infrastructure providers. This may be through lobbying and the use of its share of the Community Infrastructure Levy funding from new housing development. |
Objective 5: Support the quality of social life
and community spirit
|
This Plan identifies all the community facilities, so that these are given a suitable level of protection. When the Parish Council receives its share of the Community Infrastructure Levy funding it will fund improvements to these facilities. |
1.17 Where policies are site-specific, their location is shown on the Policies Map in Section 5
1.18 This plan has been drafted in the knowledge that all sorts of different proposals will be judged against the policies it contains. This means that some flexibility is needed at times. Where the word “will” has been used to set out a requirement in a policy, failure to comply with the policy is not envisaged as acceptable under any circumstance, and this failure should be given significant weight in the decision. The word “should” does not imply that the policy is optional or simply something the Parish Council desires if offered. Where the word “should” is used, this is because it was thought conceivable that a proposal may not be able to fully comply with that policy’s requirements, but that if it aligned with the policy intention as far as possible, it may still on balance be found to be acceptable (depending on the reasons why complying wholly was not possible, and the extent to which the proposal aligned with that policy and the development plan as a whole). Therefore, where the word “should” is used, if an applicant considers that there are good reasons why their proposal cannot meet the policy requirements, they should explain why as part of their application, and show how they have aligned with that policy’s intention as far as possible.
1.19 Our Neighbourhood Plan looks forward to 2031. To maintain the relevance of the Neighbourhood Plan, the Parish Council, as the body responsible for leading the Neighbourhood Plan process, will listen to the views and opinions of local residents in considering when a review needs to take place. It is anticipated that the plan may need to be reviewed by 2026, or sooner if significant changes have occurred locally or nationally.
1.20 A significant amount of research and consultation has gone into the preparation of this plan. A list of the key documents is provided below:
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