Wye Neighbourhood Plan Review

The Wye Neighbourhood Development Plan 2015-2030 (WNP) provides the adopted planning policy guidance for the parish of Wye with Hinxhill. The WNP passed its examination and referendum stages and Ashford Borough Council adopted the WNP as part of its Local Development Plan in October 2016.

Subsequently, the Ashford Local Plan replaced the Core Strategy, and numerous policies have changed since the Government published the original National Planning Policy Framework and Guidance in 2012. In 2023 Ashford Borough Council started its Local Plan review with a call for sites. Therefore the WNP needs to be updated to accord with these current policies, and in particular align with the Environment Act 2021, the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA).

LURA strengthened the 'biodiversity duty' introduced by the Environment Act 2021.

The government continues to amend the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and published its most recent iteration in December 2023. The NPPF now provides guidance on five core elements to engage people with new development: beauty, infrastructure, democracy, the environment and neighbourhood. NPPF 2023 also sets new expectations for local authorities on housing targets and delivery.

Although LURA requires every local authority to prepare a design code for their area, and set out the components of good design, Ashford Borough Council has yet to respond.

In the absence of a borough design code, the National Model Design Code gives general guidance on development quality expectations and issues including street character, building heights and relationship to the street, the design of public space and sustainability.

The Government passed the Climate Change Act in 2008. This set binding greenhouse gas emissions targets (net zero by 2050), and created a legal duty to act. The Environment Act followed in 2021. For the WNPR to pass its examination stage it must be 'in conformity' with current national planning legislation and the NPPF.

The Parish Council continues to review and update the policies in the draft WNPR, and update the evidence base in preparation for the start of the first formal public consultation stage. In this work the Parish Council benefits from support from experienced planning policy professionals, grant funding from Locality and professional design support from AECOM.

In parallel, the series of public drop-in events held since 2021 form part of an ongoing public engagement process. The Parish Council is also meeting planning officers and stakeholders as part of the review process and to coordinate the WNPR with the Ashford Local Plan review.