Neighbourhood Plan Introduction

WHY A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN?

What’s in it for us?

The Vision for Elmstead is that it should remain a small village located in a rural setting, mainly consisting of residential dwellings interspersed with open farmland but also containing some small business premises. Elmstead should continue to enjoy wide open spaces within the village with uninterrupted views of the countryside. It should remain clearly separated from other nearby villages - it is not and should not become a suburb of either Colchester or the proposed North Essex Garden Community.

The principle purpose of the Neighbourhood Plan is to guide future development and the facilities it will provide for generations to come will be determined by it being correctly compiled and approved.  It will become a legal document and give us the opportunity to influence our future and benefit us all.

We want to involve the whole community on all matters important to the village.  The main areas of focus will be determined by the residents but could include for example subjects such as housing and planning, health, transport, education, the environment and all related matters that will affect the wellbeing of our village now and in the years to come.  

If we do not have a Neighbourhood Plan we will continue to be the target for developers to build where they can if they show there is a need or a reason to develop.  Without a Neighbourhood Plan the community will have little to help us control our future building strategy.  A Neighbourhood Plan would provide a framework for recreational strategy by formally identifying areas that should not be developed for housing or new traditional business growth.   

We want residents to influence how benefits will be achieved and this will be achieved by the results obtained through the planned consultation processes.  It must be worth our time to get the plan right and to shape our village future.

In conclusion, can we really afford not to have a Neighbourhood Plan?