Final Plan agreed - 21 February 2023

Swaffham Bulbeck Neighbourhood Plan has been formally agreed and now forms part of the East Cambridgeshire Development Plan, alongside the Local Plan and other Neighbourhood Plans, and will be used to help make planning decisions in the parish. This follows a successful referendum outcome on 26 January 2023, and the subsequent 'making' (or adopting) of the Plan by East Cambridgeshire District Council on 21 February 2023. The final Plan, and other background material, can be found in the table below.  

Background

On 30 June 2022, Swaffham Bulbeck Parish Council formally submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to East Cambridgeshire District Council for independent examination, which included a final round of public consultation. East Cambridgeshire District Council invited comments on the draft Swaffham Bulbeck Neighbourhood Plan from 7 July to 18 August 2022.  All representations received during the consultation stage are made available to view in the Representations Received document available below.

The draft Swaffham Bulbeck Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying submission documents also remain available to download from the Document Library below. 

The Plan and other supporting material, together with the representations received, were considered by Mr David Kaiserman BA DipTP MRTPI, an independent Examiner. The main purpose of the independent examination was to assess whether the Plan satisfies certain “basic conditions” and whether it is generally legally compliant. The Examiner finalised his 'Examiner's Report' on 12 October 2022.

East Cambridgeshire District Council, in consultation with the Parish Council, considered the Examiner's recommendations. Together, they agreed that the Neighbourhood Plan, as amended to reflect the Examiner's Recommendations, should proceed to a referendum. It issued a decision statement to that effect, available below.

The referendum took place on 26 January 2023. Of the votes cast, 87% were in favour of making the plan part of the development plan for the area. For full details on the referendum, please refer to the Elections and Registering to Vote page.

Following the successful referendum, the Neighbourhood Plan has been used for making planning decisions in the parish of Swaffham Bulbeck. A final 'made' version of the Plan is also published below, which East Cambridgeshire District Council formally adopted at its meeting on 21 February 2023. A paper copy of the final Swaffham Bulbeck Neighbourhood Plan is available for inspection at East Cambridgeshire District Council's customer service centre during normal opening times. 

If you require accessible documents please email East Cambs District Council Strategic Planning Team.