What is a neighbourhood plan?

A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led document which shapes and influences future growth and development in an area. It allows local people to have a say over where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built, provides the ability to protect green spaces, influence design so developments are of a high quality and identify the infrastructure needed.

History of Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan

Between 2014 and 2018 Redbourn Parish Council made concerted efforts to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan and identify sites for development, led by a steering group comprising of parish councillors and residents of Redbourn. However, work was hindered by delays in the new Local Plan that St Albans was preparing. The Local Plan has now been withdrawn which means there will be no up to date policies for Redbourn which can be used to inform and determine planning applications for development and the sites cannot progress because they are in green belt. It is important therefore to prepare a Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan to fill this policy gap.

Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan 2020-2021

The Neighbourhood plan will establish development policies setting out how we, the community, wish to see Redbourn changed in the future. It can also identify projects that we'd like to see such as improvement to community facilities.

We prepared a vision and set of objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan in 2018 following extensive consultation. With all that has happened in the intervening period, including the current Covid situation, we'd like to know whether they remain relevant for Redbourn.

The proposed objectives and thus the focus for Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan are:

• Retain Redbourn's role as a village with a strong heritage located in a high quality and accessible countryside setting.
• To provide for the changing housing needs of the community, particularly the growing need for smaller properties by first-time buyers and older 'downsizers'.
• Make Redbourn a hub for start-up business and commercial enterprise.
• Provide new community facilities and recreation space to address the needs of the growing population.
• Increase walking and cycling movements through improved footpath and cycle path provision

We really want to hear from you. Do you agree with the objectives above? Should they be changed? Are there other ideas we should consider?

Tell us what you think via our online questionnaire

Whilst the deadline for the questionnaire has been and gone we do still want to hear from people if you have specific ideas or views to share. The documents produced supporting the questionnaire still provide up to date information and can be read here Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan Information Sheets and the Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan Update 2020-2021

We have also prepared a set of Frequently Asked Questions which may help answer any queries.

For more information like our dedicated Facebook page

To find out about historical work done on the Neighbourhood Plan previously, please visit the Redbourn Neighbourhood Plan website

Issues discussed and decisions made at Neighbourhood Plan meetings are recorded in agenda's and minutes which can be found in our council Meetings Calendar. Here you will find all papers associated with each meeting linked to the calendar entry.

Alternatively all of our documents are stored in our document management system (DMS) so you can also view our agendas and minutes this way too. You can set the filter to select documents of interest.

To find out more about what the Neighbourhood Plan working party is responsible for click on the terms of reference document below