Weymouth’s Neighbourhood Plan passes independent inspection

The Weymouth Neighbourhood Plan has passed its independent examination and will progress to the next stage, a referendum, following a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 15th October.

This plan has been subject to an independent examination to ensure that it meets the “Basic Conditions”, the tests set by Government to make sure that it can be used in the planning system. The examiner states that the plan will make a positive contribution to the Development Plan for the area and should enable the attractive character and appearance of Weymouth to be maintained whilst enabling sustainable development to proceed.

The report concludes that Weymouth Town Council, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, and others who have contributed to the plan should be commended for producing a comprehensive document which is logical, very informative and well-illustrated.

The Examiner’s Report makes 48 suggestions for changes to the plan, and these have been agreed for inclusion by the Steering Group and Dorset Council.  This includes removal of the Principal Residency policy, and the site allocation policy for Lodmoor Tip North.  Other site allocation policies will proceed, in the Plan, and the green field residential sites will be required to provide mixed housing development with 50 per cent Affordable Homes.

The examiner noted the representation made that Greenhill Gardens should be included as a Local Green Space. The examiner is unable to add it to the draft plan and so it will be included when the Neighbourhood Plan is updated following the new Local Plan being adopted.

The examiner supported the cross-cutting environmental sustainability objectives and targets for development and recommended they be included as a new separate policy. 

Weymouth Town Council would like to thank all parties who have contributed to the Neighbourhood Plan over the past four years. They are preparing the revised plan and in due course, Dorset Council will proceed with arrangements for a referendum vote by Weymouth residents.

Speaking on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, Cllr David Northam said: “I am delighted that the Weymouth Neighbourhood Plan passed its independent examination and will now progress to the next stage, a referendum. We are pleased that the examiner has supported all 49 of the submissions made for Local Green Spaces across the town, all five of the Coastal Green Recreation Areas, four of the Incidental Open Spaces and the identification of six green gaps. These will protect a significant number of the smaller and local spaces valued by the community across the whole of Weymouth.”

The examiner’s report has been be published on the Weymouth Town Council website and on Dorset Council’s website.

ENDS

Note to Editors

The Neighbourhood Plan forms part of the Development Plan which governs development. It is focused on Weymouth and is separate to the emerging Dorset Local Plan which addresses the whole of the Dorset Council area.

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