Project Description
Location: Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common – West Sussex
Project: Neighbourhood Planning
DOWSETTMAYHEW were instructed to provide Town Planning advice in support of the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan within Mid Sussex District. The parish had been selected as one of the “front runner” Councils to lead the way in the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans.
DOWSETTMAYHEW provided expert, supporting planning advice throughout the preparation of the Plan, to ensure legal compliance with the legislation and best practice. We supported the process with the preparation of extensive supporting documents, including a Sustainability Appraisal, incorporating Environmental Impact Assessment, and a suite of documents necessary to accompany the submission version Neighbourhood Plan.
The Plan was the subject of extensive representation, including by numerous competing volume house-builders. This resulted in a contentious decision-making process in selecting housing numbers and preferred sites. This included DOWSETTMAYHEW acting as both Expert Witness and Planning Advocate at a series of Public Inquiries during the emerging Neighbourhood Plan process to defend and support the decisions of the Plan-making process. This included three Public Inquiries, all ultimately determined by the Secretary of State, who determined in favour of the representations of DOWSETTMAYHEW and the Neighbourhood Plan process.
Following completion of the Neighbourhood Plan in early 2014 and receipt of the Examiner’s Report, the Plan successfully passed Referendum in early 2015. It was one of the first 50 Neighbourhood Plans in the country to have reached this milestone.