After five years in preparation, Birchington’s first Neighbourhood Plan has been formally approved by the Parish Council. It has now been submitted to Thanet District Council which has the role of checking that the plan meets all the legal requirements before undertaking consultations. These are scheduled to start early in 2022 and will last six weeks.
The district and parish councils will appoint an Independent Examiner. They will scrutinise the Plan, all the supporting evidence and all feedback collected during the public consultations conducted by both councils. The Examiner may approve the Plan or recommend modifications before it can be formally approved and put to a referendum.
Parish Council Chairman Neville Hudson said: “Sending the Plan and all the supporting documents to Thanet District Council is a critical milestone for us. I am enormously grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Plan.
“When this has finally been agreed and we get a positive result from the referendum, hopefully in Spring next year, the Plan will be essential in managing planning and development in the village. The local community will at last have a real say in how the village should change in the future.”
The Plan sets out local policies for new developments and the aim is for it to give Birchington residents more say over property development and planning matters in the area.
The full plan with detailed narrative, evidence and supporting documents can be found on the parish council’s website www.birchington-pc.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan . Printed copies can be found in Birchington Library or at the parish council office.
