A new group is to be formed in Burnham-On-Sea to create a Neighbourhood Plan following a £20,000 funding injection.
The Town Council has agreed to form a new working party to compile the new document, which ultimately could give greater powers to residents on whether new planning developments get approval in Burnham and Highbridge.
Cllr Phil Harvey, who has proposed the plan, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “After Cllr Helen Groves and I attended a National Association of Local Councils seminar last year, we persuaded the Town Council to ask Sedgemoor to bid for funding for a Neighbourhood Planning Front Runner scheme on our behalf. This they did successfully and were awarded £20,000 to assist the process. We are delighted that the first step has therefore this week been taken in putting together a working party to take this work forward.”
Cllr Helen Groves, who is among several councillors and residents to be part of the new group, added: “The new working party will review Sedgemoor District Council’s planning policy to identify areas and topics which could benefit from the plan. This is not a resolution to form a neighbourhood plan, but it’s a first step in the right direction and allows the need for one to be evidenced.”
Bev Milner Simonds from Burnham’s Town Team, who also attended Thursday’s meeting, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I attended because I am bothered about our town and the enormous opportunity that the Neighbourhood Plan presents to us. This is a great opportunity for each and every resident to have a say about what happens on their street, at the end of their road and in their town centre.”
“The council has access to a small fund to carry out the consultation and I really hope they take the chance to get in place some low cost, innovative consultation methods to hear the views of the residents outside of the ballot box.”
Pictured: Cllr Phil Harvey and Cllr Helen Groves with a copy of the Neighbourhood Plan guidance after Thursday’s meeting
