The Neighbourhood Plan Working Group are making good progress towards completing a first draft of the Plan. The Working Group are reviewing the current proposals to check that they have considered all the issues which have been raised by residents during the consultation process so far.
The Working Group are aiming to have a first draft available for consideration by the Parish Council by late February. Once the Parish Council has approved this version of the Plan, the Working Group will arrange to submit it for residents and statutory consulters like the Environment Agency, Historic England, Derbyshire County Council and SDDC to respond to its contents. This will be a 6 week consultation period.
The Working Group will then consider all the responses, amend the Plan as necessary, then submit it to South Derbyshire District Council. There is still a long process to be followed before the Plan can be made and come into force.
The Plan currently contains details of the challenges faced by Etwall residents to afford to buy or rent homes in Etwall, and the possible ways of helping residents to stay living within the village. It also lays out the areas around the village (the current “settlement boundary”) where development needs to be carefully managed. The Plan specifies the areas of the village where Green Spaces need to be protected, and it also identifies a number of buildings that have a local heritage value which are identified for the contribution they make to the historic character of the Parish. This is in addition to the 15 Listed Buildings within the village.
It also addresses the traffic issues that affect the village, and raises the other concerns that residents have about the lack of a doctor’s surgery, poor mobile phone reception, lack of cycling routes and connectivity to neighbouring villages.
The Plan contains a number of Policies which developers will need to follow, including guidance on how new buildings should look. The decision to build the East Midlands Intermodal Park (referred to as the Freeport locally) is taken by Central Government, and neither the Neighbourhood Plan nor SDDC can stop its development. However, the Plan does include proposals for the possible mitigation which may be needed to minimise any negative effects from the Freeport on the village.
The Etwall Neighbourhood Plan Working Group meet on the second Wednesday of each month. If you would like to get involved, or have any thoughts or feedback on the project, please contact etwallndp@gmail.com
A Neighbourhood Plan is a Government funded initiative that enables communities to shape the development and growth of the local area. Neighbourhood Plans feed into and help to form the Local Plans which decide where and how development happens. The intention is to empower local people to take a proactive role in shaping the future of the areas in which they live.
The Etwall Neighbourhood Plan Working Group will first confirm the designated area for the Neighbourhood Plan before building an evidence base, collating existing research, and consulting with residents and businesses.
The evidence base will inform the vision and aims of the plan, subsequently forming a basis for policy proposals that will go into the draft Neighbourhood Plan. Themes that the Working Group will be looking to explore (but not limited to) include:
- Housing
- Environment
- Infrastructure
- Transport
- Education
- Local Economy
- Recreation and Leisure
- Freeport
The draft plan will be submitted to South Derbyshire District Council who will check that it fits in with the strategic policies in their Local Plan, before arranging an independent examination of the plan. Following this a public referendum will take place. A referendum vote in favour by more than 50% of voters will mean that the Development Plan can be formally adopted by the South Derbyshire District Council.
Ultimately the Neighbourhood Plan can only be drafted and be a success if we can engage and receive good support from across the Parish. Everyone’s views count, so please don’t hesitate to make contact.
January 2025
- Continued review and amendments of the draft Plan
- Review and feedback of maps (including identification of wildlife corridors) for use in Plan
September 2022
- Launch event for the Etwall Neighbourhood Plan. A well-attended occasion with plenty of feedback received as to what residents consider the key issues within the Parish
November 2022
- Initial meeting takes place with the formation of the Etwall Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
December 2022
- Working Group agree on the designated area for the Neighbourhood Plan
- Roles and responsibilities document developed
January 2023
- Draft Terms of Reference for the Working Group created
- Project Plan documentation expanded, including the designation of initial roles and responsibilities during January meeting, and formulation of a risk register
- First draft of questionnaire and communication efforts (poster / magazine article) designed
- The Etwall Neighbourhood Plan designated area (the whole of the parish of Etwall) confirmed by South Derbyshire District Council (please see map in Document library)
February 2023
- Second iteration of the questionnaire and magazine article shared with the Working Group following initial feedback during monthly meeting
- Creation of a list of Etwall businesses and community groups
March 2023
- Feedback provided by the Working Group on the latest version of the questionnaire
- Housing Needs Assessment research begun
April 2023
- Meeting with Ian Hey and Amanda Vernon (Derbyshire Council) to discuss approaches to the Neighbourhood Plan
- Planning for future events (King’s Coronation and Etwall Well Dressing) undertaken
- Website text and design drafted
May 2023
- Attended the King’s Coronation event and Etwall Well Dressing – raising awareness of the project and gaining valuable insights into local resident’s views, needs and concerns surrounding Etwall
July 2023
- Further development of the questionnaire content and design.
- Enquires made into differing methods of production and distribution of the Questionnaire.
August 2023
- Questionnaire design completed.
- Plans finalised with regards to production, distribution and publicity of the questionnaire.
- Tender for a Planning Consultant launched.
- Meeting with Ian Hey and Amanda Vernon (Derbyshire Council) to discuss approaches to the Neighbourhood Plan.
September 2023
- Questionnaire delivered to residents and businesses of the Etwall parish.
- Accompanying publicity (posters and banners) placed around the village.
October 2023
- Questionnaire submission deadline passed at the end of the month
- Further funding applied for through the Locality Fund
November 2023
- Analysis of the 341 Questionnaire responses begins
- Helen Metcalfe appointed as Planning Consultant
- Funding procured from Locality
December 2023
- Further analysis of questionnaire responses
- Sub-Groups created for each of the Plan’s subsections
- Terms of Reference updated
- Tour of the village with Helen Metcalfe (Planning Consultant)
- Initial meeting with AECOM (re. Housing Needs Assessment and Design Code Report)
January 2024
- Vision and Objectives for the Plan drafted
- Initial meetings of sub-groups take place
March 2024
- Key sites around Etwall identified for photos to be included in the Plan
- Potential areas for designated Green Spaces within the village identified
April 2024
- Planning for Etwall Well Dressing undertaken
- Vision and objectives for the Plan confirmed
- Photos of key sites around Etwall taken for the Plan
- In-person meeting with AECOM (re. Design Codes Report)
May 2024
- Attended the Well Dressing Event, raising awareness of the project and its progress, as well as receiving feedback from local resident’s on their thoughts and concerns with regards to Etwall.
- Questionnaire distributed to local businesses.
June 2024
- Funding re-secured for the 24/25 financial year.
- AECOM Housing Needs Assessment report received.
- Chair (D. Barlow) and Vice-Chair (L. Cain) appointed.
July 2024
- Photo competition entries received.
- AECOM draft Design Code and Guidance report received.
- Questionnaire response summary document completed.
August 2024
- Non-designated heritage asset letters delivered.
- Business questionnaire feedback received.
- Planning for October public presentation begins.
September 2024
- Meeting with DSA Environment + Design to produce professionally drawn-up maps (including Non-designated heritage assets, key views, facilities and businesses, non-vehicular routes, areas of landscape sensitivity, green spaces and biodiversity sites) of Etwall, based on information provided by the Working Group.
- Meeting with South Derbyshire District Council to discuss AECOM Housing Needs Assessment report.
- Meeting with Richard Hanbury, Transport Officer, Derbyshire County Council.
- Planning for the drop-in session in October continues.
October 2024
- Hosted a drop-in session at Frank Wickham Hall which was very well attended, updating residents on the progress of the Neighbourhood Plan and inviting feedback, including on additional issues to consider and prioritisation.
- Vision and Objectives for the Plan confirmed.
- Areas of landscape sensitivity confirmed.
- Winner of the photography competition announced – Thank you to all those who submitted entries.
- Drafting of the Neighbourhood Plan (and Residents Overview) begins.
November 2024
- Reviewed comments and feedback from the October event,. These will be reflected in the Plan.
- Key views (and reasoning as to why) confirmed.
- Areas of landscape sensitivity confirmed.
December 2024
- First draft of Plan shared by Helen Metcalfe (Planning Consultant) with the group.
- Review of first draft and feedback from the Working Group collated.
- Drafting for the foreword of the Plan begins.
- Final copies of AECOM Housing Needs Assessment, and Design Guidance and Code received (these can be reviewed below in the Document Library)
- Launch Meetings (in-person and online) – Completed
- Formation of Etwall Development Plan Working Group – Completed
- Outline Task Plan / Resources Required – Completed
- Boundary designation – Completed
- Procure funding – Completed
- Communications campaign (website / social media / posters / magazines) – Ongoing
- Review existing evidence and develop questionnaire, identifying key themes – Completed
- Distribute questionnaire – to be completed either online or using a hard copy – Completed
- Questionnaire to be completed by residents and businesses – Completed
- Analysis of data from questionnaire (and existing evidence bases) – Completed
- Feedback of survey results and community consultation including drop-in session – Completed
- Working Group to establish teams to compile and draft the Neighbourhood Plan – Ongoing
- Consultation by the Working Group (Regulation 14)
- Revise Neighbourhood Plan (if necessary)
- Submit draft Neighbourhood Plan, with evidence, to South Derbyshire District Council
- Revise Neighbourhood Plan (if necessary)
- Consultation by the South Derbyshire District Council (Regulation 16)
- Revise Neighbourhood Plan (if necessary)
- South Derbyshire District Council arranges for Neighbourhood Plan to be independently examined
- Revise Neighbourhood Plan (if necessary)
- Referendum vote takes place – all Etwall residents will be eligible to vote
- If a majority of votes are in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan then it will be formally adopted
The objective of the group is to produce and publish a Neighbourhood Plan which meets the needs and wishes of Etwall Parish residents.
The Plan should:
- Contain policies in all sections which will improve the lives of residents
- Improve the experience of living in Etwall
- Provide the chance for residents to shape the future of the Parish
- Focus on specific, measurable, achievable and relevant objectives
- Be objective and conclusions should be based on data and information
Membership of the Working Group currently comprises:
- D. Barlow (Resident)
- R. Bate (Parish Councillor)
- R. Bleakman (Resident)
- L. Cain (Parish Councillor)
- A. Evans (Resident)
- M. Guest (Resident)
- A. Muller (Parish Councillor)
- C. Rowley (Parish Councillor)
- U. Towne (Parish Councillor)
If you are interested in joining the Working Group please contact etwallndp@gmail.com
Unless stated otherwise, documents can be accessed by clicking on the relevant links below. Please note that all documents are stored in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them.
- Etwall Neighbourhood Development Plan – Designated Area (Links to a .pdf map on South Derbyshire web pages)
- Etwall Housing Needs Assessment (AECOM)
- Etwall Design Guidance and Code (AECOM)
- Neighbourhood Planning Support
- Neighbourhood Planning – myCommunity
- Neighbourhood Planning Guidance (Gov.uk)
- Neighbourhood Planning Process (Local Government Association)
- Hilton, Marston on Dove & Hoon Neighbourhood Development Plan
- Melbourne Neighbourhood Development Plan
- Parish of Repton Neighbourhood Development Plan
