High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan

The 2011 Localism Act has given communities the right to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan. This right is aimed at giving local communities genuine opportunities to influence the future of the places where they live.

The preparation of the High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan allowed people who live, work and have a business in the area to have a say where they think new houses and businesses should be located and what they should look like. The Neighbourhood Plan also identifies and protect important Local Green Spaces, conserve local heritage and protect areas of nature conservation interest. The High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan is a statutory plan which means that decisions on planning applications will be made using both the Local Plan and the Neighbourhood Plan, and any other material considerations.

An Independent Examiner, Mr Chris Collison, was appointed by Harborough District Council to undertake the Examination of the High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan. The Examiner's report was received on 8 November 2024 and it recommended that with some minor modifications the Plan met the Basic Conditions and should proceed to Referendum. The High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan and Examiners report was approved by Harborough District Council for a referendum to be held on 23 January 2025. All of the Examiner's suggested modifications were accepted and included in the Referendum Version of the neighbourhood Plan.

On a turnout of 40% of the electorate, of the total votes cast, 93% supported the Neighbourhood Plan. On 30 January 2025, Harborough District Council issued its decision to 'make' The High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Development Plan part of Harborough District Councils Development Plan in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.

Further information about the High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan and its previous stages can be found below.

The High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan Area comprises the following four Parishes which are situated in the northern part of Harborough District, Leicestershire:

Tilton on the Hill and Halstead

Cold Newton
Lowesby
Marefield

At its meeting of 13 May 2024, Tilton on the Hill and Halstead Parish Council approved the submission of the High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents to Harborough District Council under Regulation 15 of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. The District Council must satisfy itself that a draft Neighbourhood Plan complies with all the relevant statutory requirements before a further six-week public consultation takes place and then it is sent to an Independent Examiner.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published on 27 March 2012 and updated on 24 July 2018, 19 February 2019, 20 July 2021 and 19 December 2023. This sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.

The planning practice guidance that supports the NPPF is published online.

The relevant development plan for the area is the Harborough Local Plan which was adopted by Harborough District Council in April 2019.

Tilton on the Hill and Halstead Parish Council initially consulted with seven surrounding parishes to establish the level of interest in the preparation of a joint neighbourhood plan. Cold Newton, Lowesby and Marefield decided to join with Tilton on the Hill and Halstead. Following that, Tilton on the Hill and Halstead Parish Council set up a Neighbourhood Plan Committee, comprising representatives from all four parishes, to prepare the plan.

The Committee prepared and circulated a questionnaire survey to local residents in October/ November 2018. The total number of completed questionnaires was 216 have been published.

One of the key issues for the Neighbourhood Plan concerns housing development in Tilton on the Hill. On Saturday 3 June 2023, a consultation event was held in Tilton Village Hall concerning the allocation of potential housing sites. The event was attended by about 30 residents.

The feedback from the questionnaire results, community feedback and information about the area helped inform the preparation of the (Pre-Submission) Draft version of the High Leicestershire Neighbourhood Plan. Under Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, a pre-submission consultation period of no less than six weeks on the proposed Neighbourhood Plan ran from Monday 22 January to Monday 4 March 2024. All representations and comments received have been considered by the Parish Council and used to amend the Pre-Submission Draft of the Plan.