Neighbourhood
Planning… or “The Wray Forward”?
The Wray
Forward: geddit? Yes, it’s a lame pun but honestly, it’s a huge
improvement on my other ideas for a catchy title…
So what’s this all about? Many of us attended a meeting in the
Institute in July to find out more /express our opinions on some proposed
housing development in Wray. At that meeting, we were invited to indicate if we
would like to form a “Neighbourhood Planning” group. Well, some of us did and
we’d like to tell you what we’ve been up to since.
Neighbourhood
Planning? What’s that? This is the term used when a group produces a
plan for how they would like their area to develop over the next few years.
What’s
the point? Will it make any difference? Yes! New legislation
gives this plan real teeth. Any proposed development MUST be in keeping with
this plan. Development cannot be imposed on an area if it contravenes the
Neighbourhood Plan.
What goes
into the plan? Our plan should reflect and explain what is
special about our area and also how we want to protect and develop it in the
future to make sure it stays special.
Who
decides what goes into the plan? Everybody in the area! We want to
hear your views and ideas. The group will be carrying out surveys and talking
to groups to find out your opinions and drafting a plan based on what you tell
us. So PLEASE tell us! Or better still, come and join us (contact details and dates
of future meetings, below). When the plan is ready, everybody will be asked to
vote to say if they support it. A good turn-out and a resounding “yes” is
pretty important, so please make sure your views are represented. If you’d like
us to come and talk to/listen to your group, let us know too. We don’t want
anyone to be missed out (including our youngest neighbours. So children – we really want to hear from you!).
How will
I know what’s happening? We want to make sure that we keep
everyone up to date as much as we possibly can. So check the Parish Council
Notice board, outside the Post Office, or check the village website, where
we’re setting up a page. We’ll try to put updates here, in the Wrayly Mail each
month too.
This month we will be focusing on finalising the Plan's area
boundary, agreeing the community survey format and the arrangements/dates for
running it; setting out a draft vision and objectives and then asking for your
views on them.
It’s our neighbourhood, so let’s shape it together.
Future
dates of meetings: October 9th and 23rd,
7pm village institute
Contact
us on: wraynpg@gmail.com or 015242 36233 or speak to us! You’ll
find the names of who’s in the group on the noticeboard.
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