Date has been set for Whaley Bridge Local Plan referendum

After years of planning and months of consulting, High Peak Borough Council has agreed to send the Whaley Bridge Neighbourhood Plan to Referendum. The referendum date is December, 7 2023.

The referendum will pose the question: “Do you want High Peak Borough Council and the Peak District National Park Authority to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Whaley Bridge to help them decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

If approved at referendum, Whaley Bridge Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the statutory development plan and will be used by HPBC, alongside the High Peak Local Plan, for determining applications for development within that part of Whaley Bridge and Furness Vale Neighbourhood Area that is outside of the National Park.

A spokesperson for High Peak Borough Council said: “HPBC considered each of the recommendations made in the Examiner’s Report in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan and the reasons for them and decided to accept modifications to the draft Neighbourhood Plan. The referendum boundary is approved and will cover the designated Whaley Bridge and Furness Vale Neighbourhood Area only.”

First talks of the neighbourhood plan for Whaley Bridge dates back to 2018. Since then Vision4Whaley, which is leading the campaign created a draft plan and engaged with the community from 2020 to 2021. Between June 2021 and July 2022 there was a consultation on the plan, analysis of responses and a chance to amend the details. The report was sent to the council and the date set for the referendum on October, 25.

A spokesperson for Vision4Whaley said: “The Neighbourhood Plan will affect everyone in Whaley Bridge. A Neighbourhood plan offers us an opportunity to define a level of detail which is specific to our own area.

“After an approval process, the detail in the Neighbourhood Plan will sit alongside HPBC’s Local Plan and allow us to have a measure of local control over development which occurs here. It means that we can really make a difference to how Furness Vale and Whaley Bridge develop up till 2032.”