Swale Borough Council was awarded £20,000 to help develop the Faversham Creek Neighbourhood Plan under the Government's 'front runners' programme. The programme awarded 31 councils the grant to help councils prepare a plan and trial the plan process.
The Faversham Creek Neighbourhood Plan focuses on four topics, including water projects, public realm projects, land use projects and movements projects.
The development of the Plan is being led by a local Steering Group, which aims to manage and guide the development of the Neighbourhood Plan and assist with community engagement.
It has four central themes, including creating a place that provides a good choice of
activities in and around the water; a place that is designed to benefit both existing and new communities, local businesses and visitors, and a place that celebrates the unique maritime heritage and the natural beauty of the creek, the Council said.
The Plan focuses on ensuring that Faversham Creek is well connected with the town centre and countryside and a place where the design of new buildings and public spaces is inspired by heritage, nature and the character of the Creek.
The Steering Group is made up of Town and Borough Councillors with wards next to the Creek and members of the Creek Consortium group. It has no formal powers and lobbies on behalf of the public. Each member must report back to their constituent bodies for scrutiny and comment on the content of the Plan as it progresses.
As part of the development of the Plan, Faversham has appointed consultants who have produced feasibility and viability studies; advised on development options for the Creek Area, and provided advice on the most appropriate planning route to achieve the regeneration objectives for the Creek Area.
Consultants were also appointed to advise the Council on the vision of the Plan; the supporting themes, and the initial thoughts on objectives for each of the themes and a list of priorities, the Council said.
The Steering group would need to consider whether to revise the draft plan following consultations with the local community, before it is assessed by an independent examiner.
The Plan can then go to a local referendum and if more than 50% of those who vote support the implementation of the Plan, it would be adopted as part of the Council's development plan and must be taken into consideration when deciding planning applications.
The Steering Group is holding a public exhibition of emerging ideas from the Neighbourhood Plan on 5 May.
