4.1 Neighbourhood planning is intended to give communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of the local area. The national Planning Policy Guidance says that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, we are able to “choose where we want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have our say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided, and grant planning permission for the new buildings we want to see go ahead”.
4.2 We have approached the task with an open mind as to what the Portland Neighbourhood Plan would cover and what its themes and purposes would be. We understood from the outset that it would have to meet the ‘basic conditions’:
4.3 Within these constraints we have consulted widely and engaged with our local community to understand what is needed and what it is possible to influence and effect via a set of neighbourhood planning policies. We have considered carefully the policies of the Local Plan and assessed, based on our agreed objectives, whether a more localised or detailed neighbourhood plan policy is necessary. In several instances, we have concluded that the Local Plan policy is sufficient. We have only introduced a neighbourhood plan policy where it will help ensure the area develops in the way we wish it to.
4.4 The Portland Neighbourhood Plan sets out how we would like to see the area developed over the next 13 years or so and through its policies aims to guide sustainable development to provide the maximum benefit to those that live, work or visit in our area.
4.5 The development and preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan has been undertaken by a Working Group comprised of representatives of groups on the Island and town councillors, overseen by a Management Group set up as a sub-committee of Portland Town Council.
4.6 It was understood from the outset that for the Plan to be truly representative of the planning issues of relevance in the area and to be the community’s plan, we needed to carry out a thorough and on-going consultation process with those who live and work in the area and those that visit here on a regular basis. We also recognised that the Plan could not be properly developed without the input of organisations and agencies with a district, county, sub-regional or national remit and an interest in the area.
4.7 The process and the types of consultation exercise and discussion that we have gone through is documented in detail in a Consultation Statement, which accompanies the submission version of the Plan. The key methods we have used have included:
4.8 The development of the Neighbourhood Plan was based on a desire to be open and to welcome comments and contributions from all quarters. Our aim has been to encourage discussion and debate within the community about the issues and opportunities that face us and strive to achieve a community consensus. This Plan represents the product of this process.
4.9 The Neighbourhood Plan, once ‘made’ (i.e. adopted), will form part of the statutory development plan for the area. This means that its policies will have significant weight (or real teeth) when it comes to being used by the local authority to help determine proposals for development submitted through planning applications. It will form the local tier of planning policy on the Island. It sits with the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan (also part of the statutory development plan) and underneath the umbrella of national planning policy in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the main planning policy documents relevant to the Portland area. Other important planning documents which govern specific issues are the Minerals and Waste Plans produced at the county-wide level.
4.10 However, the Neighbourhood Plan should not be treated as a blueprint. When this Plan is ‘made’ its policies will be used by the local planning authority when it considers decisions that need to be made about development proposals submitted through the planning application process. The Neighbourhood Plan’s policies cannot guarantee that a proposal will be refused nor be granted permission, but the policies will carry significant weight, alongside policies of the NPPF and Local Plan when weighing up the appropriateness of the development proposal in question.
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