Stutton Neighbourhood Plan
The Stutton Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been prepared by the Parish Council and local community and will be used to help guide and shape future development in the parish.
Latest news...
Reg 20 Formal adoption (27 July 2023)
In an ‘out of meeting’ decision published on Thursday 27 July 2023 Babergh District Council have agreed to adopt ('make') the Stutton NDP.
This NDP now forms part of the development plan and will be used to help determine planning applications in the parish unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
- Read the adopted Stutton NDP (Note: This is a large, 30Mb file)
- Read the adoption Decision Statement
- See the Action out of Meeting request.
Previous stages...
Local Referendum (Wed 19 July 2023) - majority 'yes' vote
A local referendum was held on 19 July 2023 to decide if the Stutton NDP should become part of Council's Development Plan. The count took place the following day.
The question asked was: "Do you want Babergh District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Stutton to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Plan Area?"
Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (11 January 2023)
New procedures, agreed in September 2021, mean that a NDP can now be advance to a referendum without Cabinet approval where there is no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations. That applies in this case, and the decision is confirmed through publication of the following statement:
Reg 17 Independent Examination (Final Report dated 20 Dec 2022)
Babergh District Council appointed Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FHEA FRSA AoU to carry out an independent examination of the Stutton NDP. The examination relied on the published documentation and did not need to seek clarity on any matters.
On 20 December 2022, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommends that, subject to modification, the Stutton NDP meets the basic conditions and that it should proceed to a local referendum.
- Read the Stutton NDP Final Exam Report (20 Dec 2022)
- See also the examination correspondence document
Planning Practice Guidance also provides advice on the weight to be attached to a post-examination plan.
Reg 16 Submission Consultation (12 Sept to 28 Oct 2022)
In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (as amended), the submission draft Stutton NDP was made available for public consultation between 12 September and 28 October 2022.
Stutton Parish Council (the qualifying body) had formally submitted the following documents:
- A map identifying the NDP area
- The submission draft Stutton NDP 2022 - 2037
- A Consultation Statement
- A Basic Conditions Statement
- A housing survey report (CAS, 2019)
- A parish landscape study (Dec 2021)
- A set of landscape study appendices
- A key views assessment report
- A Stutton design guidelines and codes document (AECOM, July 2021)
- A parish infrastructure investment plan (Nov 2019)
- A site options and assessment report (AECOM, Jan 2020)
- A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) scoping report (AECOM, Apr 2022)
- An SEA report (AECOM, July 2022)
- Copies of the SEA and habitats regulations assessment (HRA) screening reports and determination notices (as previously published on this webpage)
An assessment on how this NDP meets the Basic Conditions will be carried out by an independent examiner. Our initial check confirmed that the relevant requirements had been met at this stage. View the Regulation 15 Checklist.
Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the independent examiner and, with the exception of personal details, be published on this website.
SEA & HRA screening and determination (May 2022)
The pre-submission draft NDP was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and/or a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) were needed. Both were 'screened-in'. The relevant reports and determination notices are published below:
- Read the Stutton NP SEA screening report (LUC, Jan 2022)
- Read the Stutton NDP SEA determination notice (May 2022)
- Read the Stutton NDP HRA screening report incl. appropriate assessment (Place Services, Jan 2022)
- Read the Stutton NDP HRA determination notice (May 2022)
Reg 14 Pre-submission consultation (8 Nov to 20 Dec 2021)
- Visit the parish council's website for more information.