Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan
The Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan was formally made by Council on 11 October 2022.
The Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan has been compiled by local residents and Saffron Walden Town Council. It establishes a vision for the evolution and long-term sustainability of Saffron Walden Parish and town. 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 Saffron Walden is located in the north of the Uttlesford District and is home to some 16,000 people. It is a uniquely situated market town with a wide range of historic and modern buildings.
The made plan
The
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan
(PDF)
[2MB]
was made on 11 October 2022.
Key dates
Neighbourhood Area designated Uttlesford District Council (UDC): 13 December 2012
Pre-submission public consultation (Regulation 14): 22 January - 10 March 2020
Examiner appointed: 28 January 2020
Submission public consultation (Regulation 16): 15 February - 12 April 2021
Examination (Regulation 17): Submitted to the examiner on 20 May 2021
Submission focused public consultation (Regulation 16): 9 August - 23 August 2021
Focussed consultation on significant modifications: 1 March - 21 March 2022
Referendum: 15 September 2022
Designated neighbourhood plan area
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Area (PDF) [396KB]
The civic Parish of Saffron Walden was designated as the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Area by Uttlesford District Council on 13 December 2012.
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 Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan is not likely to have significant environmental effects and accordingly an environmental assessment is not required in respect of the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan.
A copy of the SEA Determination Statement is available below. It is also be available on request at: Uttlesford District Council, Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4ER.
Pre-submission (Reg 14) consultation
From 22 January - 10 March 2020 Saffron Walden Town Council undertook consultation under Regulation 14 on its Pre-submission Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan.
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 14 Submission (PDF) [7MB]
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 14 Submission consultation responses
(PDF)
[2MB]
Submission public consultation (Regulation 16)
Saffron Walden Town Parish Council submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to Uttlesford District Council on 29 January 2021. Uttlesford District Council confirmed on 8 February 2021 that the Neighbourhood Plan submission complies with all the relevant requirements.
Consultation
Comments made during the submission consultation, which ran Monday 15 February 2021 to Monday 12 April 2021, will be made public.
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan submission documents
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan submission email (PDF) [71KB]
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan submission draft (PDF) [6MB]
Map of the extent of the parish of Saffron Walden (PDF) [1MB]
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Basic Conditions Statement (PDF) [552KB]
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement (PDF) [563KB]
Evidence base and background studies on the Saffron Walden Town Council website
Submission focused public consultation (Regulation 16)
Following publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on 20 July 2021, we carried out a focussed consultation for a two-week period on the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan.
Why we carried out a second consultation
The first consultation was based on assessing the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan against the NPPF 2019. However, with the publication of the 20 July 2021 NPPF it was considered reasonable to provide you with an opportunity to make representations in light of the latest NPPF 2021 against which the Neighbourhood Plan will be assessed against.
Consultation responses
As set out in the Updated Public Notice, this consultation ran from Monday 9 August 2021 to Monday 23 August 2021.
What happens next
Any representations made during this focussed consultation will be submitted to the examiner. The examiner has chosen to rely upon the written representations but could call a public hearing if it is beneficial to do so. The examiner will consider whether the plan meets the basic conditions, or whether further modifications need to be made for it to do so.
The NDP will need to fulfil the Basic Conditions, as required by Paragraph 8(1)(a)(2) of Schedule 4B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (inserted by the Localism Act 2011).
The examiner will also decide if the plan can proceed to the referendum stage.
Examination (Regulation 17)
An Independent Examiner has been appointed for the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan.
Name of examiner: Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FHEA FRSA AoU
Date of appointment: 28 January 2020
The plan was submitted to the examiner on 20 May 2021.
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
- It 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
Examiner's note of interim findings on the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [108KB]
The SuDS Manual 2015 (C753F) on ciria.org
Air Quality Action Plan 2017 - 2022 (PDF) [1MB]
Saffron Walden Traffic Study Update (Essex County Council, May 2017) (PDF) [4MB]
Local Plan Highway Impact Assessment (PDF) [6MB]
Secured by Design, New Homes 2014 on the Secured by Design website
Secured by Design Homes, Version 2 (March 2019) on the Secured by Design website
Saffron Walden Bus Survey Report (David Corke, July 2018) (PDF) [2MB]
Saffron Walden Town Council letter to the Examiner on 17.02.2022
(PDF)
[65KB]
Focussed consultation on significant modifications
Ann Skippers, the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Examiner, requested that we undertake a focussed consultation on proposed significant modifications to the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Development Plan.
Why we carried out a focused consultation
The Examiner suggested that ten policies in the draft plan are deleted and are not replaced. These are known as 'significant modifications'.
For each policy the Examiner gave a reason why they considered that the policy should be deleted and explained these reasons in the notes issued on 5 October 2021, 7 and 15 February 2022.
Comments received
We asked for your comments on the proposals to delete the ten policies from the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan. We have now published the comments that we received.
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan focussed consultation on significant modifications responses
(PDF)
[1MB]
Examiner's report
Examiner's report on the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Development Plan 2021-2036 (PDF) [1MB]
Decision statement
Following an independent Examination, Uttlesford District Council recommended that the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan proceed to referendum.
Referendum
A referendum took place on Thursday 15 September to decide whether the Neighbourhood Plan for Saffron Walden should be used to help decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area.
Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan - referendum version (PDF) [2MB]
Find detailed results from the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Referendum including specified documents and legal notices relating to the poll.
Making of the plan
At Council on 11 October 2022 the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [2MB] was formally made (the Neighbourhood Plan legislation's term for adopted) by the District Council as part of the Statutory development plan.
The Saffron Walden 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 Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan (PDF) [110KB]
Additional information
► An introduction to neighbourhood planning on GOV.UK