Consultations

We need young people to help us to show why we should receive funding from Sport England for our Youth Activators project. This project will work with local partners to deliver a range of multi-sport activities for young people living in South Northants. The Youth Activators project will also offer young people opportunities to volunteer and to learn new skills.

At the South Northamptsonshire Council Cabinet meeting on 11 February 2013 it was agreed that a consultation be undertaken on the Council’s proposed approach to using the New Homes Bonus.

This consultation will be open for a period of 12 weeks and the Council is inviting feedback on the policy proposals contained within the attached Cabinet policy paper.

The consultation is open to anyone and will be available on the Council’s consultation website. Views are being actively sought from key stakeholders including Parish Councils, representatitives of local businesses, representatives of the community and voluntary sectors and any other stakeholders who may be interested.

If you have any queries about this consultation please contact Claire Taylor using the contact details below. If you would like to take part in consultation and to read additional documents please follow this link.

South Northamptonshire Council has now reviewed the Yardley Gobion Conservation Area and produced a draft appraisal and management plan. Consultation on this draft will now take place. It is proposed to modify the conservation area boundary to include one further property along Grays Lane, which contributes to the enclosed sense of space within the area, as well as two properties along Moorend Road, which help reinforce a distinct pinch point. For more information and to take part in this consultation please follow the link.

Within West Northamptonshire the three local authorities of South Northamptonshire, Daventry and Northampton have been considering the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The three councils have asked the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit to co-ordinate this consultation on their behalf.

A Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule (PDCS) for each individual authority in West Northamptonshire has now been published. Publication of this information represents the first consultation stage in considering how the CIL may operate in these areas, should it be adopted. The CIL is a charge that can be placed on new development. CIL is intended to be used to help towards funding a range of infrastructure that is needed as a result of development, for example road schemes, schools and community facilities. The PDCS documents provide more details about the CIL and the proposed charging rates.

The consultation period for all three authorities will run from Thursday 14th March to (5pm) Monday 29th April 2013.

To take part in the consultation and see the South Northants PDCS and background documents, please follow this link to the West Northants Joint Planning Unit website.

All councils are facing a challenging time as we have been asked by government to make savings due to the national economic situation. This consultation provides an opportunity for local residents, businesses and voluntary organisations to make comments on our draft budget and our business plan and priorities for service delivery in 2013/14.

To take part in consultation and read background documents please follow this link – Budget and Business Plan 2013/14

This draft policy has been prepared in response to the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework and includes key principles for the consideration of planning applications for affordable housing. The main elements include the affordable housing thresholds and percentages and guidance on the potential opportunity for market housing to be provided on rural exception sites to provide cross-subsidy.

With the success of London 2012 behind us, the focus for the South Northamptonshire Leisure Trust (SNLT) is how to keep the spirit of the flame alive and ensure that the Olympic legacy continues for many years to come.
The SNLT was formed in February 2007 to not only run Towcester Centre for Leisure, Brackley Leisure Centre and Brackley Swimming Pool, but to promote and support sport and leisure in the district.
All completed questionnaires will be put into a free prize draw to win a full health and fitness membership worth £456. 

The Localism Act 2011 requires all local authorities to publish a Tenancy Strategy by January 2013. The Council has produced a draft Tenancy Strategy for consultation. This includes guidance for Registered Providers on the provision of the new tenure introduced by government called Affordable Rent and also the use of the new flexibilities allowing Registered Providers to offer fixed term tenancies as opposed to lifetime tenancies.

•  Gambling Policy 2012

The Government has announced that from April 2013 they will be abolishing the Council Tax Benefit scheme.

Instead, councils will need to create and administer a new local Council Tax Reduction Scheme. The new scheme has to be agreed by 31st January 2013 and in place from 1st April 2013.

• Further information

If you were unable to attend the recent exhibition you still have the opportunity to view the plans online, or at the Council’s office in Springfields, Towcester (2-4pm), until Friday 14 September which is also the deadline for any feedback.

• Moat Lane Regeneration

The Council is currently consulting on a new Housing Allocations Policy, setting out who is eligible for social housing, who qualifies to join the Housing Register and how priority need is decided. This consultation will end on 14th September 2012.

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Towcester Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement. The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

South Northamptonshire Council is in  the process of reviewing the Eydon Conservation Area and in October 2011 produced a draft Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan for the settlement. That document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.   

Budget Consultation 2012-2013

South Northamptonshire Council is consulting local residents and businesses on our proposed budget for 2012/13.  

If you have any comments, please email them to consultation@southnorthants.gov.uk before 28th February 2012.

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Greatworth Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement. The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Harpole Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement. The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Eydon Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement. The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Brackley Old Town Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement. The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Brackley Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement.  The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area. 

The Government announced the HS2 consultation on 28th February 2011.

South Northamptonshire Council is in the process of reviewing the Litchborough Conservation Area and has produced a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal and management plan for the settlement.  The document sets out the features that contribute to the distinctiveness of the area and identifies opportunities for its protection and enhancement.

The document also proposes amendments to the boundaries of the existing conservation area.  

South Northamptonshire Council intends to submit a substantive response to the Department for Transport Consultation on the proposed High-Speed Rail Link (HS2).  We are keen that the response is informed by Parish Council views from across the Distict.  

It is important to note that whilst a route close to Brackley is currently the preferred option, as many as six alternative rountes have been considered by HS2 Ltd/DfT and all of them cross the District between the M1 and M40 corridors.  Therefore it is possible that a high-speed rail route could have an impact on almost any part of the District.   

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended)

South Northamptonshire Local Development Framework

Notice of Draft Supplementary Planning Documents:

1. Eydon Village Design Statement
2. Wappenham Village Design Statement
3. Yardley Hastings Village Design Statement
4. Milton Malsor Parish Action Plan

In accordance with regulation 17 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended) the South Northamptonshire Council has agreed the above documents for public consultation. When adopted (with or without alteration) they will form part of the Local Development Framework for South Northamptonshire.

The Village Design Statements (VDSs) are an important tool for use in helping to protect the character of villages in terms of sensitive design. Parish Councils have committed a significant amount of work to the preparation of such documents. They are a practical tool to help influence decisions on design and development.  Prepared correctly, a VDS will provide a clear statement of the character of a particular village against which planning applications may be assessed.  A VDS is not concerned with whether development should take place but with how planned development should be carried out, so that it is in harmony with its setting and contributed to the conservation and, where possible, enhancement of the local environment.

South Northamptonshire Council will be consulting on the VDSs for 6 weeks from Friday 1 April 2011.

Copies of the draft VDSs are available at www.southnorthants.gov.uk/2394.htm and are free of charge from the Council. They are available to view during normal opening hours at the offices of South Northamptonshire Council and also at public libraries throughout South Northamptonshire.

Representations on the draft VDSs are invited and must be received no later than 5.00 p.m. on Friday 13^th May 2011. Representations should be sent in writing to the South Northamptonshire Council, Springfields, Towcester, NN12 6AE, by fax to 01327 322074, or by email to planning.policy@southnorthants.gov.uk.

Please note that representations received during the consultation period cannot be treated as confidential. Please notify the Council if you wish to be informed when either SPD has been adopted.

If you have any questions on the VDSs please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01327 322267 or via planning.policy@southnorthants.gov.uk

Draft Conservation Strategy

South Northamptonshire Council has produced a draft strategy setting out its work and goals in relation to conservation of the historic environment.

How to comment:

Email: Please mark your email with the name of the strategy that is being commented upon and send it to: Planning.Policy@southnorthants.gov.uk

What will happen to your comments?

All representations will be used to finalise the Conservation Strategy. It is envisaged that the Council will adopt the strategy in summer 2011.

West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy- Pre Submission

The Joint Core Strategy deals with the future planning of the West Northamptonshire Area which covers the whole of Daventry District, Northampton Borough and South Northamptonshire. The Joint Core Strategy will guide future development decisions throughout the area and will be used to decide planning application. It will also provide the strategic framework for other more detailed plans.

How to comment

The Strategy and guidance for making representations can be downloaded from www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org 

Responses can be made via:

Email: Westnorthantsjpu@northampton.gov.uk

Online: We encourage electronic representations via our consultation portal at http://ldfconsultation.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/consult.ti

A survey for Towcester residents to have their say on current and future housing needs in Towcester.

South Northamptonshire Council has published its draft budget following the Cabinet meeting (Monday 17 January). Council tax will be frozen in 2011-2012, and the budget shows that the council will balance the books without using its savings or borrowing money.

To ensure that future proposals are considered in a sympathetic and appropriate manner. Comments on the draft document are welcome.

Workshops, public displays & questionnaires to inform the development of the Towcester Masterplan. If you would like to take part we would be happy to hear from you.