Issue details

Purpose of Report: Murton Parish Council has submitted an application to produce a Neighbourhood Plan. The decision session will follow a 6 week publication period.

The Cabinet Member is asked to approve the production of a Murton Neighbourhood Plan.

This decision will be taken by the Cabinet Member at a public decision session on 29 April 2014.

This decision will be delayed until May as the consultation will now not conclude until 28 April which will not allow sufficient time to have a full report ready in time for the publication deadline. The decision will be taken at a public decision session on 14 May 2014.

Representation has been made in response to the Murton Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan application objecting to the inclusion of the entire parish within the boundary for the Parish Neighbourhood Plan. Legally the entire parish or part of a parish can be designated as a neighbourhood plan area, however the Localism Act (sections 61G (4) and 61H (1)  states that the Local Planning authority must have regard to the desirability of designating the whole of the area. In addition it should be noted that there is no prescribed time limit within which the decision on an application needs to be reached.

Within the context described it is recommended that a decision on the Murton Neighbourhood Plan application is withdrawn for now.  This will allow Officers time to explore further with Murton Parish Council and other key parties the issues raised.