As our Members and Friends know, there is a referendum about the Neighbourhood Plan on 12th March.
The Bourne Conservation Group recognises that each vote is entirely a matter for the individual. As a Group, however, we encourage everyone to use their vote and to vote YES. We are not alone in adopting that approach: the Farnham Society have produced a leaflet which will be posted through letter boxes next week.
The original Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is still in force. It was put together over a long period in which many individuals and groups were involved. This included BCG and we had a big impact on getting sensible policies on the environment and biodiversity put into it, and they provide the foundation of the whole plan.
Since the plan came into force it has had a good impact on development in Farnham. For instance, the application for 150 houses in Compton Fields (bitterly opposed by many local people) was finally rejected by the Secretary of State after an appeal because of the policies in the NP and, in particular, the agreed boundary of the built-up area.
That original plan had to be reviewed because all local communities were required to cater for more houses to be built. Farnham Town Council did a very thorough job in revising the plan and finding additional brown field sites for the extra homes. They were complimented by HM Inspector on their work when he cleared the new plan at the end of last year.
Thus, if agreed at the Referendum, the new plan will control where new houses are built in Farnham in line with the wishes of the local Council and hopefully the agreement of local people. That is the whole point of Neighbourhood planning.
The Farnham NP can be found in a number of files at https://www.farnham.gov.uk/services/neighbourhood-plan