This is the referendum version of a Neighbourhood Plan for Knightsford. It is intended to help guide decisions on planning applications in our area.
The small, historic villages of West Knighton and West Stafford (to the west), and Woodsford and Tincleton (to the east) are friendly and safe rural communities in south Dorset. The area has little industry, but many people work from home or in the small businesses that operate in the locality.
The mix of farmland, woodland and heathland, the influence of the River Frome, together with the rich history of buildings such as churches, manor houses and a castle, including stone bridges and WWII pill boxes, have created a much loved landscape with many wonderful views and abundant wildlife, which this Neighbourhood Plan aims to retain.
This Neighbourhood Plan seeks to retain the rural character, community spirit and tranquillity of our area, in a manner which uses the best of modern technology combined with local materials and skills to help create a more sustainable place to live.
There is only limited need for new housing and employment, based on the evidence we have been able to compile. Neighbourhood Plans can provide detail on what should be built where to meet local needs, whilst ensuring that this is done in a way that is in keeping with the character of the area. Whilst a wide range of sites were assessed in terms of their potential to accommodate development, most were ruled out as unsuitable based on factors such as landscape impact, impact on settlement character, and highway safety, and were not supported by the community.
Our local facilities and network of quiet lanes, footpaths, bridleways and cycleways mean that we can get about to socialise and enjoy the countryside. Opportunities to expand these facilities are supported in this Plan, whilst ensuring that our roads are also more walker, cyclist and horse rider friendly. However, such improvements are dependent on funding and/or commercial viability, and therefore there are no guarantees that such improvements will be forthcoming given the limited degree of development.
This Plan is intended to cover the period up to 2033, but it is likely to be reviewed sooner, particularly if the Local Plan or changes to national policy suggest that the amount of development in our area needs to increase.
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