The process of completing the Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan will continue as scheduled despite Preshute Parish Council’s notice of withdrawal.
Cllr Mervyn Hall, Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group issued the following statement earlier today:
“In response to Peter Morgan’s comments about Preshute Parish Council withdrawing from the Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan (MANP), I have to say that it contains a lot of fabrication and inaccuracy. For example; there are no “large scale” housing developments proposed, all available brownfield sites for housing have been incorporated (there are two of them) and additional parking has to be provided on the edge of town because there is simply no land for it in the town centre.
The purpose of the plan is to address the needs of the community, as expressed in our many public meetings and consultations, which were to provide some affordable housing, provide additional parking capacity and other amenities, like cemetery capacity. The plan can only address issues relating to the planning process and does not cover roads and transport. It does, however, provide significant protection to green spaces, our surrounding landscape and our important heritage assets. It also provides protection against speculative and inappropriate developments in the area, up to 2036.
It is unfortunate that Preshute Parish Council have chosen to leave the plan because that removes all of the protections that it would give that parish against unwelcome developments. However, that is their right and their choice as the democratically elected representatives of that parish, which I fully respect.
The Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan will now proceed, when complete, to its first public consultation under regulation 14, with a re-designated plan area excluding Preshute. This will give the residents of Marlborough, Savernake and Mildenhall the opportunity to make comments on the plan, which can be taken in to account prior to its submission to Wiltshire Council for further consultation. Adoption will then be voted on in a referendum planned to coincide with the council elections in May next year.“
Preshute withdraws from the Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan