Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan

The Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan was formally made by Council on 6 December 2022.

The Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan is being compiled by local residents and the Parish Council. It establishes a vision for the evolution and long-term sustainability of Ashdon Parish and village. The plan sets out a vision for the future of the parish and planning policies which will be used to determine planning applications locally.

The Parish of Ashdon is a small rural community set in rolling open countryside on the Essex Cambridgeshire border. It is a uniquely situated village with two historic cores, namely the primary centre grouped around the Rose and Crown pub and secondly the smaller settlement of Church End focused around the Grade I All Saints Church.

The made plan

The Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [4MB] was made on 6 December 2022.

Key dates

Neighbourhood Area designated Uttlesford District Council (UDC): 1 May 2019

Pre-submission public consultation (Regulation 14): 17 September - 31 October 2021

Examiner appointed: 9 February 2022

Submission public consultation (Regulation 16): 14 April - 30 May 2022

Examination (Regulation 17): Commencing June 2022

Referendum: Thursday 20 October 2022

Plan made: 6 December 2022

Designated neighbourhood plan area

Ashdon Neighbourhood Development Plan Area (PDF) [816KB]

The Parish of Ashdon was designated as the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Development Area under an Executive Decision by the Leader on 1 May 2019.

Ashdon Neighbourhood Development plan application letter [1.12MB]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Determination

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Determination Statement (under Regulation 9 and 11 of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes 2004)

Uttlesford District Council has determined that the draft Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan is unlikely to result in significant environmental effects and therefore, does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment. This statement also includes the reasons for this determination (in line with Regulation 11 of the SEA Regulations).

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Determination Statement (January 2022) (PDF) [1MB]

Pre-submission consultation (Regulation 14)

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Group and Ashdon Parish Council ran a consultation on the Pre-submission (Regulation 14) Draft Neighbourhood Plan for Ashdon. The consultation ran from 17 September to 31 October.

You can read the Pre-submission Draft Neighbourhood Plan on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website. They were also consulting on a Draft Design Code for Ashdon.

Submission public consultation (Regulation 16)

Ashdon Parish Council submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to Uttlesford District Council on 31March 2022.Uttlesford District Council confirmed on 11 April 2022 that the Neighbourhood Plan submission complies with all the relevant requirements.

Uttlesford District Council acknowledgement of submission of the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [207KB]

Consultation

Uttlesford District Council ran a consultation on the submission version of the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan from 14 April to 30 May 2022.

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Submission Public Consultation (Regulation 16) responses (PDF) [4MB]

Ashdon Character Assessment on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Local Green Spaces Assessment Report (PDF) [2MB]

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Landscape Appraisal on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Landscape Appraisal extract for Steventon End on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website
Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Landscape Appraisal extract for Water End on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan footpath survey on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon path by path survey on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Flooding in the Parish of Ashdon: Report by the Ashdon Flood Group on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon Business Survey Summary on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Natural Environment and Biodiversity in the Parish of Ashdon on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Review of Ashdon Indoor Community Spaces on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Terms of Reference (PDF) [140KB]

Examination (Regulation 17)

An Independent Examiner has been appointed for the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan.

Name of examiner: Andrew Ashcroft

Date of appointment: 9 February 2022

The plan will be examined by the independent examiner who will take the representations made during the public consultation into account.

Normally the independent examination will be conducted by written representations. However, if it is considered necessary, the examiner may invite interested parties to a public hearing to present their comments. This might be necessary to examine an issue in more depth or to ensure fairness.

The independent examiner will only consider whether the proposed Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions set out by law. The examiner will be considering whether the plan:

has appropriate regard to national policy
contributes to the achievement of sustainable development
is in general conformity with the strategic policies in the development plan for the local area
is compatible with human rights requirements
is compatible with EU obligations

Following the examination, the examiner will issue a report. If the plan meets the basic conditions the examiner will recommend the plan proceed to referendum stage, or may suggest further modifications are needed. The examiner may conclude that the plan does not meet the basic conditions and therefore would recommend it does not go to referendum.

Examination documents

Examination arrangements for the Ashdon Neighbourhood Development Plan 2020-2036 (PDF) [212KB]

Examiner's clarification note on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Development Plan 2020-2036 (PDF) [128KB]

Ashdon Parish Council response to the questions raised in the Examiner's clarification note (PDF) [276KB]

Examiner's report on the Ashdon Neighbourhood Development Plan 2020-2036 (PDF) [395KB] (received 13.07.22)

Decision statement

Following an independent Examination, Uttlesford District Council recommended that the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan proceed to referendum.

Decision statement regarding Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan proceeding to referendum (PDF) [367KB]

Referendum

Result of the referendum

In response to the question, "Do you want Uttlesford District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Ashdon to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?", the votes were:

Yes: 184

No: 25

The turnout was 29.6% from 712 registered electorate.

Find detailed results from the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan Referendum including specified documents and legal notices relating to the poll.

Making of the plan

At Council on 6 December 2022 the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [4MB] was formally made (the Neighbourhood Plan legislation's term for adopted) by the District Council as part of the Statutory development plan.

The Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan now sits alongside the Uttlesford Local Plan Adopted 2005. Should planning permission be sought in areas covered by the adopted neighbourhood plan, the application must be determined in accordance with both the neighbourhood plan and the Local Plan.

Decision statement to make the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [568KB]

Read the press release; the Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan is formally 'made'.

Additional information

► Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan website

► Ashdon Neighbourhood Plan on Facebook

► Ashdon Parish Council

► Gov.uk - An introduction to neighbourhood planning