Referendums due to be held in Selsey, Stedham with Iping and Boxgrove

Residents in Boxgrove, Selsey and Stedham with Iping will have a chance to vote on neighbourhood plans for their parishes.

In advance of polling day (Thursday May 6), we asked each of the three parish councils why it is important for residents to vote in the referendums.

Boxgrove

The Boxgrove Neighbourhood Plan goes to Referendum on Thursday 6th May and residents of Boxgrove, Halnaker, Strettington and Crockerhill will be able to vote either for or against the plan. The plan is available to view on the following link.

If a village has a Neighbourhood Plan, then this is used to inform planning decisions at District (CDC) level. It means that there is a direct link between the community’s wishes and any planning implemented. There is also a small financial aid in the form of the CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) which is granted to the village to help mitigate the effects of any development. If a NP is in place, then the CIL is 10% higher than if there is not.

If the residents of Boxgrove choose not to vote for the plan, then decisions about planning in Boxgrove Parish simply remain with CDC. They will still receive some CIL money but at a lower rate.

Boxgrove Parish Council is asking residents to vote, but not in any way influencing them as to how they should vote. That of course is entirely up to the resident concerned!

Stedham with Iping

Neighbourhood Plans give local communities the power to shape development in their area. Once ‘made’ (adopted) they become part of the development plan for the National Park and the policies and proposals contained within them are used in the determination of planning applications, including appeals.

Stedham with Iping Parish Council setup a Steering Group, in 2017, to develop a Stedham with Iping Neighbourhood development Plan (SINDP). The history and a copy of the finished NP can be found on the Council’s website.

The plan was ready to go to referendum in 2020, but the local elections were cancelled.

The NP is a result of a lot of hard work from residents, statutory consultees, landowners and various other organisations such as Southern Water, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Highways England, Historic England etc etc. The full list can be found on the website.

Parishioners now have the opportunity to make their voices heard. The question to be asked in the referendum is:

‘Do you want the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) to use the Neighbourhood Development Plan for the Parish of Stedham with Iping to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’

Voting for the Plan in the Referendum ensures the Plan is adopted and, as such, all its policies and proposals have to be taken into account in the determination of any planning applications, including appeals.

Selsey

The Selsey Neighbourhood Plan is an extension of the Chichester Local Plan 2014-2029 and is aligned to it. It lays out policies specific to the Parish of Selsey and reflects the needs and aspirations of the Selsey Community.

These policies not only cover aspects of local housing development such as design but also seek to reflect the historical environment of Selsey. They also cover important aspects of Society in Selsey, Conservation Areas, Recreational Spaces, Employment Land and Retail Centres.

If adopted, the Selsey Neighbourhood Plan would allow Selsey to take advantage of 25% of the Community Infrastructure Levy to provide Selsey with Infrastructure within the Parish. It also closely aligns with the Selsey Town Council Business Plan.

Link to information on Selsey neighbourhood plan.