Ware Neighbourhood Plan approved by Community
Results From 28th September 2023 Referendum
At a referendum of Ware residents held on 28th September, the Ware Neighbourhood Plan was approved with a 91% majority.
At polling stations throughout Ware there were 2221 votes for YES and 225 votes for NO and 2 discounted votes. The turnout was 16.6% of eligible voters.
The plan has actively been worked on by the Ware Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group since 2019. Several consultations with hundreds of members of the public helped inform the aspirations of the plan.
In simple terms the neighbourhood plan is a document that:
- Sets out planning policies for the neighbourhood area; planning policies are used to decide whether to approve planning applications.
- Is written by the local community, the people who know and love the area, rather than the local planning authority.
- Becomes a powerful tool to ensure the community gets the right types of development, in the right place.
Mayor of Ware, Councillor Thomas Day said,
“I’d like to offer my huge congratulations and thanks to the Ware Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group for their tireless work and dedication over the years in creating this comprehensive document. They have carried it along the challenging road to approval at yesterday’s referendum. Their dedication to the town is an excellent example of the community spirit that makes this such a special place to live – a place worth protecting”.
The Neighbourhood Plan is now set to be adopted by East Herts Council and will become part of the statutory development plan against which relevant planning applications will be determined.
See more about the members and the work of the Ware Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group on their dedicated Ware Neighbourhood Plan website.
Update – 18th August 2023
On 14th August 2023 a decision was made by East Herts Council to proceed to referendum. A referendum which poses the following question: “Do you want East Herts District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Ware Neighbourhood Area to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?” will be held in Ware. The Ware Neighbourhood Plan Referendum is scheduled for Thursday 28 September 2023. See all the documents on the East Herts Council website.
Update – August 2023
Ware Neighbourhood Plan Referendum on September 28th 2023
For the plan to be adopted it requires a YES vote on 28th September 2023. Further details about the Neighbourhood Plan and referendum can be found on the Neighbourhood Plan website. The vote will take place at polling stations in a similar way to elections, more details about voting will follow.
Update – April 2023
Update – August 2022
The latest (dated September 2022) Pre-submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan
What is Neighbourhood Planning?
The Localism Act 2011 introduced statutory Neighbourhood Planning in England. It enables communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for their area and is intended to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area (within certain limits and parameters). These plans will be used to decide the future of the places where you live and work giving opportunities to:
- choose where you want new homes, shops and offices to be built
- have your say on what new buildings should look like
- grant planning permission for the new buildings you want to see go ahead
- deciding where Community Facilities are required.
- consult on the use of green spaces around Ware.
For more information visit mycommunityrights.org.uk
Neighbourhood Plan Forum
Ware Town Council submitted an application to East Herts Council requesting that the entirety of the Town Council’s boundary, excluding those areas included in the North and East of Ware Site Allocation, be designated as a Neighbourhood Area. The reason for this is that the strategic sites will be covered by the Masterplanning process, led by East Herts Council.
East Herts Council approved the area designation. The area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan is shown on the map.
View minutes, information, progress on the Neighbourhood Plan and latest updates on the dedicated Ware Neighbourhood Plan website.
For general information on the Neighbourhood Plan please contact Terry Philpott (Town Clerk) at [email protected].
The Town Council agreed Terms of Reference for a Neighbourhood Plan Forum. Membership of the Neighbourhood Plan Forum are:
Representatives of the following local organisations:
- The Ware Society
- Ware Town Partnership/ CVS
- Raynet/ Town Watch
- Wodson Park
- Herts Police (CPDA)
- Ware Museum
- Widbury Hill Residents
- Save Ware’s Green Belt
- Plus Town Councillors, Alexander Curtis, Mark Pope and Stephen Reed.