TIMETABLE
Our NDP work is in 5 Phases with community engagement throughout. It is a big job and it is taking some time.
Our original timetable has been delayed for a number of reasons outside the Steering Group’s control. First and foremost the examination into the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Local Plan has taken much longer than originally programmed and it is taking time for that Plan to be adopted. Secondly for a number of reasons the Parish Council has suffered from a number of staffing and other issues which have meant they have been unable to provide the administrative support on which the Steering Group depends. These are now hopefully being resolved. In turn we need to consider and take account of the new Government’s recently announced changes to the Planning regime and future legislative and national policy changes that have been promised.
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The Timetable below sets out our current programme – but again these are approximate dates and remain subject to change.
So, the approximate Timetable below is based on our current (August 2024) understanding:
•April to October 2022 (Phase 1) - Setting up the NDP Steering Group with a project plan, letting the community know we are here, securing a small amount of finance and deciding upon a Consultation Strategy
•August 2022 to July 2023 (Phase 2) - Identifying early-emerging themes & issues, sharing them with the community and using the feedback to draft a Vision for Hawkhurst (includes the Visioning Event in 2023)
•July 2023 to July 2024 - Phase 3a Evidence collection on community priorities and setting up Working Groups to undertake the analysis
•July to December 2024 (Phase 3b & 4) – Make a draft policy determination on how Hawkhurst’s future can be best served, share this and the evidence that supports it with the community, then write the draft Plan. Key to this will be a Mapping Session on 7 November that residents can participate in - see more details on that event here.
•January to May 2025 (Phase 5) - Consult the community to help finalise the policies, and seek to have the Plan adopted, probably including a community referendum.
There will be a number of opportunities for the Community to have their say before the NDP is adopted. We will publicise these consultation events and opportunities as widely as possible across different channels including on this page.