Compton Neighbourhood Plan

Plan adopted

Following a positive referendum result on the Compton Neighbourhood Plan, also known as the Compton Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), West Berkshire District Council has adopted the Compton NDP as part of its Development Plan for the purposes of managing development in the parish of Compton.

You can view the Compton NDP and the Decision Statement below:

• Compton NDP (February 2022) [3MB]
• Decision Statement [645KB]
   

Referendum

The referendum on the Compton NDP was held on 10 February 2022. The question asked at the referendum was:

"Do you want West Berkshire District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Compton to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

From the votes recorded, 588 voted 'Yes' to the NDP, and 9 voted 'No'. The turnout of electors was 48.9 per cent. You can  view the Declaration of Result Poll online, here [198KB] .

The referendum was conducted in accordance with procedures similar to those used at local government elections.

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations 2012 (as amended), we published an Information Statement [5MB]  which sets out information relating to the referendum and also the following specified documents:

• The draft Compton NDP (as modified) [3MB]
• The independent examiner's report [625KB]
• A summary of representations submitted to the independent examiner [380KB]
• A decision statement that the NDP can progress to referendum [645KB]
• A general information statement on town and country planning, neighbourhood planning, and the referendum [5MB]  
• Notice of Referendum [46KB]
   

Post examination

The examiner's report on the Compton NDP is not binding and it is the responsibility of West Berkshire District Council to ultimately decide if the examiner's recommendations should be followed or not. Officers considered each of the recommendations in the examiner's report and produced a Decision Statement [645KB] . The Decision Statement recommends that the Compton NDP can proceed to referendum.

At a meeting of Council on Thursday 2 December 2021, Councillors endorsed the Decision Statement. Councillors also agreed at Council that the plan can be adopted immediately upon a successful 'yes' vote at referendum.
 

Independent examination

Andrew Mead was appointed to carry out the independent examination of the Compton NDP. The purpose of the examination was to determine if the plan meets the five basic conditions in Paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, with or without modifications.

The examiner issued his final report on 7 October 2021 and it recommends that, subject to several modifications, the plan should proceed to referendum. You can view the final report online, here [625KB] .

As part of the examination process, the examiner issued a letter on 26 July 2021 setting out the procedural matters for the examination. You can view the examiners letter online, here [638KB] . 

On 9 August 2021,  the examiner issued a letter [270KB]  setting out some matters which he would like Compton Parish Council and West Berkshire District Council to provide clarification on. The responses from Compton Parish Council and West Berkshire District Council are included below:

• Compton Parish Council response [242KB]
• West Berkshire District Council response [423KB]
   

Consultation on the submitted neighbourhood plan for Compton (Regulation 16 consultation)

Compton Parish Council submitted the Compton NDP to West Berkshire District Council on 6 May 2021. After submission, responsibility for taking the plan forward lies with the local planning authority. 

Once a plan has been submitted to the local planning authority it must be checked to ensure it complies with the relevant legislation. You can view the Council's legal compliance check of the Compton NDP online, here [327KB] . This confirms that the plan complies with the relevant legislation.

The Council published the submitted plan and its supporting documents for a 6-week consultation which ran between Friday 4 June and Friday 16 July 2021. The consultation documents consisted of:

• Compton NDP [4MB]
• Basic Conditions Statement [1MB]
• Consultation Statement [14MB]
• Evidence Report [1MB]

You can view a summary of the representations received, together with the representations in full, below:

• Summary of representations [380KB]
• Canal and River Trust [153KB]
• Clive Tombs [9KB]
• Councillor Carolyne Culver [7KB]
• Environment Agency [803KB]
• Highways England [546KB]
• Historic England [699KB]
• Homes England [426KB]
• National Grid [88KB]
• Natural England [98KB]
• Office for Nuclear Regulation [477KB]
• Oxfordshire County Council Minerals & Waste Planning Policy [7KB]
• Robin Edwards [464KB]
• Sport England [814KB]
• Swindon Borough Council [583KB]
• Thames Water [730KB]
• The Coal Authority [871KB]
• Transport for London [574KB]
• West Berkshire District Council (Principal Ecologist) [8KB]
• West Berkshire District Council (Principal Engineer) [705KB]
   

Consultation on the draft neighbourhood plan for Compton (Regulation 14 Pre-submission consultation)

Neighbourhood planning regulations require the draft neighbourhood plan to be subject to consultation (known as a Regulation 14 pre-submission consultation) before it is formally submitted to the local planning authority. The consultation should last at least six weeks.

Between 9 November and 21 December 2020, Compton Parish Council ran a consultation on the draft plan. You can find further details about the consultation on Compton Parish Council's website.

You can  view West Berkshire District Council's response to the consultation online, here [743KB] .
 

Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment

West Berkshire Council undertook screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA). You can read the screening report [729KB]  and the decision notice [19KB]  online.

SEA is required for all plans which may have a significant effect on the environment. A SEA aims to protect the environment at a high level, and ensures the environment is considered during the preparation of plans. This promotes sustainable development.

Not all neighbourhood plans will require a SEA to be carried out. To decide if a SEA is required, a screening exercise is used to look at proposals in an emerging neighbourhood plan, and see if a significant effect is likely.

A HRA is required to determine if a neighbourhood plan would have a significant impact upon the integrity of nature conservation sites of international importance, such as Ramsar Sites, Special Areas of Conservation, and Special Protection Areas. If a plan is likely to result in significant impacts, then an assessment referred to as an Appropriate Assessment must be undertaken.
 

Neighbourhood Area Designation

A Neighbourhood Area for Compton Parish was designated in January 2017; you can view the Designation Notice online, here [1MB] .

In order to prepare a neighbourhood plan, town or parish councils must notify West Berkshire Council of their intention to designate a neighbourhood area. This is the first formal stage in preparing a neighbourhood plan. You can read the Compton Neighbourhood Area application form [2MB]  online.

The parish council have set up a website containing more information about their forthcoming neighbourhood plan.