Wilstead Neighbourhood Plan

Finally, after many years of hard work by numerous individuals within the Parish and Wilstead Parish Council, the Neighbourhood Development Plan, which was agreed by the recent referendum, has been made into law by Bedford Borough Council. The decision statement can be seen here, and a copy of the final plan is here. We'd like to thank everyone involved in the process and hope this gives us an element of protection against overdevelopment and the Borough's Local Plan. 


IT'S HERE WILSTEAD NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 

After more than five years of painstaking work by a dedicated group of villagers, the Wilstead Neighbourhood Plan is to be put to the vote in the village by Referendum.

Voting will take place at a Polling Station probably towards the end of November or early in December 2022 when electors will be asked to approve the final document.

It is particularly important that we receive a “Yes” vote in advance of the issue of the Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 so as to ensure the planning principles outlined in the Neighbourhood Plan are legally enforceable. 

To view the final document please look here. 



Historic Updates can be found below. 


Independent Examiner

The final draft of the Wilstead Neighbourhood Plan has now been submitted to an independent Examiner. A link to the Examiner's acknowledgement is included here. 

A further link to the completed draft plan and further details may be found below. You will find the Plan on the Borough Council's website at: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning

The Examiner is to consider whether the Neighbourhood Plan has been properly prepared, ask any questions that may arise and decide if any modifications need to be made as a result of comments received. An Examiners Report will then be issued stating if the Plan can proceed to a Referendum, subject to any modifications. 

Bedford Borough will then start the process of organising a referendum which will be held in the Parish (similar to normal election arrangements) at the normal polling station. Voters will be asked if the Neighbourhood Plan should be used to determine planning applications in the Parish. If there is a majority of YES votes then the plan will be 'made' by the Borough Council. Once made, the policies in the Plan will hold as much weight as the Bedford Borough Local Plan.  

A letter from the Examiner and intial questions can be seen here, and here, here, and the map is here!

Latest update letter here.

Final Plan

The final neighbourhood plan has been submitted and has gone for consultation and further information may be found here. 

The documents may be found here.




History

Hello and welcome to the Wilstead Neighbourhood Plan. Thanks for taking the time to look at this page of the website. 

You can download a copy of the Draft Plan here. 

After having read the Plan, it would be great if you could take the time to comment or respond.

The document is accompanied by a number of Annex's and the drafts may be found below. 

Annex A relates to Consultation and Survey Results

Annex B details Green Spaces

Annex C is for Historical and Important Buildings

Annex D is the Design Guide

Annex E covers Footpaths and Bridleways

For any queries or comments on the draft plan please get in touch with Eric Benton, whoes contact details may be found on the Councillors page.

The next stage of the process is to consider and, where appropraite, take on board all the comments received from villagers, businesses and land owners before submitting the final draft to Bedford Borough for circulation and ratification. 

As part of that process it will then be:

* Publicised

* Passed to an independent inspector for examination, and (provided no changes are necessary)

* Subject of a referendum of those on the electoral register in the village where the following question will be asked "Do you want Bedford Borough to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Wilstead to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?" The referendum will require a majority of those voting to be in favour of the Plan. 


MINUTES

The minutes of previous meetings may be found below.

26th October 2021

27th July 2021

27th April 2021

29th March 2021

8th March 2021

1st February 2021

16th November 2020

5th October 2020

24th August 2020

17th February 2020

27th January 2020

18th November 2019

21st October 2019

30th September 2019

16th September 2019

19th August 2019

15th July 2019

24th June 2019

20th May 2019

18th March 2019

18th February 2019

21st January 2019

17th December 2018

19th November 2018

2nd October 2018

4th September 2018

9th July 2018

11th June 2018

23rd April 2018

19th March 2018

1st June 2017

24th May 2017

19th April 2017

5th April 2017

15th March 2017