Decision details

In 2014, community group The Emsworth Forum applied to Havant Borough Council to be designated as the ’neighbourhood forum’ and the Emsworth Ward to be designated as a ‘neighbourhood area’ for the purposes of neighbourhood planning. The council accepted that application and designated the forum and the area on 23 July 2014. That designation was extended for a further 5 years on 24 June 2019. 

Following the submission of the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan to Havant Borough Council on 25 April 2019 representations were invited under Regulation 16 of the above Regulations.

The Borough Council, in consultation with the Forum, appointed an independent Examiner, Mr Andrew Ashcroft MRPTI, to examine whether the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan met the basic conditions as set out in Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and whether the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a referendum. The examination was conducted by written representations. 

The Examiner’s Report was received on 6 January 2020. The report concluded that, subject to a series of recommended modifications set out in the report, the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan met all the necessary legal requirements and should proceed to referendum.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Lead for Planning, Regeneration and Communities considered whether to accept the examiner’s recommendation to send the plan to referendum

RESOLVED That:

a)           the modifications to the plan recommended by the independent examiner be accepted;

b)           the Council proceed with the modified plan to a referendum of eligible registered voters in the Emsworth Neighbourhood Area;

c)           a statement of the decisions made under a) and b) above, as set out in the Appendix to the submitted report be published.