Bearley Neighbourhood Plan Referendum

Stratford-on-Avon District's 21st neighbourhood plan referendum will take place on Thursday 9 September 2021, when voters in Bearley parish will go to the polls to respond to the question: "Do you want Stratford-on-Avon District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Bearley to help decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

To vote in this referendum residents of Bearley must be registered to vote in the Local Government elections and be 18 or over on the day of poll.

The polling station, which will be open from 7am to 10pm, will be Bearley Village Hall, Snitterfield Road, Bearley, Warwickshire CV37 0SR.

The counting of the votes will be held immediately after the close of poll at the same location.

To check you are on the Electoral Register and eligible to vote or to register please contact the District Council's Electoral Services on 01789 260208 no later than 23 August 2021.

The Bearley Neighbourhood Plan

The Bearley Plan was independently examined between February and September 2020 and the Examiner recommended that, subject to some proposed modifications, the Plan should proceed to referendum.

In one instance, the Local Planning Authority disagreed with a decision recommended by the Examiner. In accordance with Regulation 17A of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) and Development Management Procedure (Amendment) Regulations 2016,

the Local Planning Authority publicised the proposed amendments to the recommended modification for a minimum 6 week consultation between 11 May and 22 June 2021.

The District Council has issued a Decision Statement on the Bearley Neighbourhood Plan and the Portfolio Holder for 'Place and Economy' at the District Council has endorsed the recommendation to proceed to referendum.

The referendum will be asking whether the community wish to see the District Council use the Neighbourhood Plan to decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area (which is based on the Parish boundary).

For further information visit: www.stratford.gov.uk/bearleynp

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations 2012 (as amended) the Local Planning Authority must publicise the referendum for a minimum of 28 working days prior to the date of the referendum.

A number of documents (referred to as 'specified documents' in the Regulations) have been produced in order to help with the voting process. These specified documents can be viewed on the District Council's website on the page dedicated to the Bearley Neighbourhood Plan at www.stratford.gov.uk/bearleynp

Alternatively, a printed version of the specified documents are available for inspection at:

• Stratford-on-Avon District Council Offices at Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX. Current opening hours are Monday - Friday 9am to 2pm.
   
• Stratford-upon-Avon Library, 12 Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6PZ. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm.
  
  
• Bearley Village Hall, Snitterfield Road, Bearley, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 0SR - Mondays and Saturdays 10am - 12noon and Tuesdays 6.30pm - 9pm, or on request by contacting the Parish Clerk at bearleypc@outlook.com or on 07713 280431.

If you have difficulty accessing any of the documentation please call the Planning Policy team at the District Council on 01789 260321 who will be able to assist.

Neighbourhood planning is a key component of the Government's Localism Act, introducing a new tier of planning. The Localism Act devolves greater powers to councils and neighbourhoods, giving local people new rights to shape the development of the communities in which they live by taking a more active role in the development of planning policy at a local level.

The Act makes it clear that a Neighbourhood Plan will have to generally conform to the Development Plan produced by the District Council.