Upper Clatford Neighbourhood Development Plan 

The Upper Clatford Neighbourhood Plan became part of the Development Plan for the Parish and is used to guide planning decisions in the Upper Clatford parish council area.

The neighbourhood plan was voted on by residents in May 2020  with 41% of residents taking part .  There was an overwhelming vote in favour of the plan with 441 in favour of adopting the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) for Anna Valley, Red Rice and Upper Clatford. It now forms an important  consideration in all planning applications for the Parish, as well as providing a basis for actions and plans for the Parish Council. However recent changes to the national policy, the National Planning and Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2024/5 by central government may bring changes which will impact the effect of the Upper Clatford NDP and are just being assessed.

Notes:
The NDP was initiated in 2019 with a public meeting and a survey across all parishioners, to which over 600 parishioners responded, provided the basis of the draft NDP, which was developed by a group of volunteers. It was then consulted on with Parishioners and TVBC and the resulting modified draft was then reviewed and approved by an independent Examiner. The finished document was then put to parishioners in a referendum in May 2020.

The key policy outcomes of the Upper Clatford NDP

• Reinforcement of the Local Gap (with a detailed analysis of its component areas), and the existing Settlement Boundary, reflecting the current TVBC Local Plan.
• Preferred size and type of new properties to reflect community needs where possible - smaller, affordable and retirement houses being the stated need.
• Requirements to use building materials that are harmonious with surroundings.
• Designation of 4 new areas of Local Green Space. These will be treated as Green Belt land and were selected for their special contribution to Parish character and biodiversity.
• Identified one “Site of Importance for Nature Conservation” (SINC), which has since been designated, between the Anton and the watercress beds, which is of significance in terms of maintaining habitat connectivity. Application for a second SINC is in the process of being reviewed, covering the entire meadow, pond and chalk stream south of Church Lane.
• Identification and protection of views and landscape character in the areas inside and surrounding the villages particularly with respect to trees, hedging and meadows.
• Identification, protection and potentially, enhancement, of community facilities.