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Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan 2023 to 2033 was made (adopted) on 15 October 2024.
- Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan 2023 to 2033 (made October 2024)
- Decision Statement (October 2024)
The neighbourhood plan was prepared by the parish council. It has undergone examination by an independent examiner and has received a positive result at a local referendum.
Referendum
The referendum took place on Thursday 29 August 2024. It asked: “Do you want Dorset Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Sturminster Marshall to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?” The result was a majority favour (404 ‘yes’ votes and 37 ‘no’ votes). See the full referendum results.
The documents published at the start of the referendum period were:
- Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan 2023 to 2033 (referendum version)
- a Summary of Representations submitted to the examiner
- the Examiner's Report
- the Decision Statement which includes a statement by the local planning authority that the plan as proposed meets the basic conditions
- the Information Statement which includes general information as to town and country planning including neighbourhood planning and the referendum
Plan examination
The independent examiner’s report of the Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan was issued on 8 May 2024.
During examination, the examiner wrote to Dorset Council and Sturminster Marshall Parish Council on 7 March 2024 to clarify some initial procedural matters.
On 18 March 2024, the examiner wrote to Dorset Council and Sturminster Marshall Parish Council to ask a number of questions in order to seek clarification on some matters. The parish council and Dorset Council replied on 2 April.
- Letter from examiner (18 March 2024)
- Response from Sturminster Marshall Parish Council and Dorset Council (2 April 2024)
On 8 April 2024, the examiner wrote to Dorset Council and Sturminster Marshall Parish Council to ask a supplementary question. The parish council replied on 10 April and Dorset Council replied on 15 April.
- Letter from examiner (8 April 2024)
- Response from Sturminster Marshall Parish Council (10 April 2024)
- Response from Dorset Council (15 April 2024)
On 1 May 2024, Wyatt Homes wrote to the examiner in relation to the examiner’s questions dated 18 March 2024 and the parish council’s response to those questions.
Plan submission and Regulation 16 consultation
The submitted neighbourhood plan is:
It is supported by the following documents:
The parish council also provided the following evidence base documents:
- Report to Inform Habitat Regulations Assessment (June 2023)
- Design guidance and codes (April 2023)
- Site options and assessment (June 2021)
- Local Green Spaces Report (June 2021)
- Housing Needs Assessment (Dec 2020)
All representations received during the Regulation 16 consultation have been compiled into the following report:
Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA)
Dorset Council agree with the findings of the document titled ‘Report to Inform Habitats Regulations Assessment’, prepared for the Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan and published by AECOM in June 2023. Dorset Council, as competent authority under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (‘Habitats Regulations’), have therefore adopted the report as the HRA for Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan.
Natural England were consulted on the HRA for the Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan in accordance with Regulation 105(2) of the Habitats Regulations, and concur with the findings of the HRA that the Sturminster Marshall Neighbourhood Plan will not adversely affect the integrity of a European Site.