Cold Ash Neighbourhood Plan

Contents

• Plan adopted
• Referendum
• Post independent examination
• Independent examination
• Regulation 16 consultation (Activity closed)
• Regulation 14 pre-submission consultation (Activity closed)
• Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment
• Neighbourhood Area Designation

You can find general information about developing a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) and resources to help you develop one for your community on our NDP webpage.

Plan adopted

Following a positive referendum result on the Cold Ash Neighbourhood Plan, also known as the Cold Ash Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), West Berkshire District Council adopted the Cold Ash NDP on 3 May 2024. It now forms part of the Development Plan for the purposes of managing development in the parish of Cold Ash.

You can view the Cold Ash NDP and the Decision Statement below:

• Cold Ash NDP [21MB]
• Decision Statement [716KB]

Referendum

The referendum on the Cold Ash NDP took place on Thursday 2 May 2024. The question asked at the referendum was:

"Do you want West Berkshire District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Cold Ash to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

 

The result was declared on 3 May 2024. From the votes recorded, 680 voted 'Yes' to the NDP, and 59 voted 'No'. The turnout of electors was 27%. You can view the Declaration of Result Poll online, here [103KB] .

The referendum was conducted in accordance with procedures similar to those used at local government elections. 

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations 2012 (as amended), we published an Information Statement [138KB] which set out information relating to the referendum and also the following specified documents:

• The draft Cold Ash NDP (as modified) [25MB]
• The independent examiner's report [902KB]
• A summary of representations submitted to the independent examiner [182KB]
• Cold Ash NDP Decision Statement (February 2024) [1MB]
• A general information statement on town and country planning, neighbourhood planning, and the referendum [138KB]

Post independent examination

The examiner's report on the Cold Ash NDP is not binding. It is the responsibility of West Berkshire District Council to ultimately decide if the examiner's recommendations should be followed or not. Officers considered each of the recommendations in the examiner's report and produced a Decision Statement [1MB] . The Decision Statement recommends that the Cold Ash NDP can proceed to a referendum.

At a meeting of Council on Tuesday 20 February 2024, councillors endorsed the Decision Statement. Councillors also agreed at Council that the NDP can be adopted immediately upon a successful 'yes' vote at referendum.

Independent examination

At a meeting of Council on Thursday 5 October 2023, Councillors agreed that the Cold Ash NDP can proceed to independent examination.  

Andrew Mead was appointed to carry out the independent examination of the Cold Ash NDP. The purpose of the examination is to determine if the plan meets the five basic conditions in Paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, with or without modifications.

On 1 November 2023, the examiner issued a letter setting out the procedural matters for the examination. You can view the examiners letter here [204KB] .

The examiner issued questions seeking clarification on several matters on 13 November 2023. You can view the questions   here [189KB] . The responses from both West Berkshire District Council and Cold Ash Parish Council were published on 27 November 2023, and can be viewed below:

• West Berkshire District Council response to the Examiner's questions [144KB]
• Cold Ash Parish Council response to the Examiner's questions [410KB]

On 28 November 2023, a further response from Cold Ash Parish Council was published. It can be viewed here [156KB] .

The examiner's final report was issued on 3 January 2024 and can be viewed here [902KB] . This recommends that subject to modifications, the Cold Ash NDP can proceed to referendum. 

Top

Consultation on the submitted Neighbourhood Plan for Cold Ash (Regulation 16 consultation)

Cold Ash Parish Council submitted the Cold Ash NDP to West Berkshire District Council on 20 June 2023. After submission, responsibility for taking the plan forward lies with the local planning authority. 

Once a plan has been submitted to the local planning authority it must be checked to ensure it complies with the relevant legislation. You can view the Legal Compliance Check of the Cold Ash NDP here [176KB] , which confirms that the plan complies with the relevant legislation. 

The Council published the submitted plan and its supporting documents for a 6-week consultation which ran between Friday 21 July and Friday 1 September 2023. The consultation documents consisted of: 

• Cold Ash NDP [21MB]
• Basic Conditions Statement [2MB]
• Consultation Statement [2MB]

Other supporting evidence documents used to shape the Cold Ash NDP are as follows:

• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) & Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) Screening Opinion - Decision Notice (November 2022) [277KB]  Note: On 16 March 2022, Natural England designated the hydrological catchment of the River Lambourn (which is a Special Area of Conservation) as a Nutrient Neutrality Zone (NNZ) due to the unfavourable condition of the watercourse because of unnaturally high levels of phosphorus. The NNZ covers the northern and western parts of Cold Ash Parish, and the draft plan was re-screened in 2022 to consider its impact upon the NNZ. 
• SEA/HRA Screening Opinion - Post-consultation version (November 2022) [1MB]
• SEA / HRA Screening Opinion - Decision Notice (December 2021) [85KB]
• SEA & HRA Screening Opinion - Post-consultation Version (December 2021) [3MB]
• Cold Ash NDP Evidence List [154KB]
• Cold Ash NDP Evidence Underpinning the Spatial Strategy for the NDP [1MB]
• Cold Ash NDP Regulation 14 Feedback [7MB]

You can view a summary of the consultation responses received, together with the responses in full, below:

• Summary of responses [182KB]
• Canal and River Trust [246KB]
• Donnington New Homes [726KB]
• Exolum Pipeline System Ltd [2MB]
• Historic England [184KB]
• National Highways [199KB]
• Nexus Planning for Croudace Homes [1MB]
• Plainview Planning on behalf of Mr & Mrs Liebreich [576KB]
• Rectory Homes [23KB]
• Sport England [436KB]
• Thames Water [297KB]
• The Downland Practice [146KB]
• Transport for London [235KB]

West Berkshire District Council's comments on the submitted NDP can be viewed  here [981KB] .

Top

Consultation on the draft neighbourhood plan for Cold Ash (regulation 14 pre-submission consultation)

On 1 March 2023, Cold Ash Parish Council published the first draft of the neighbourhood plan for consultation (also known as the Regulation 14 consultation). The consultation finished at 5pm on 19 April 2023. 

You can find further details about the consultation on the Cold Ash Parish Council's Neighbourhood Plan website.

Please note that this consultation was the responsibility of Cold Ash Parish Council and not West Berkshire Council. Any queries should be directed to the Cold Ash Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, a sub-group of the Parish Council, who can be contacted by email: coldashpc@gmail.com.
 

Top

Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment

West Berkshire Council have undertaken screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA). The first screening was published on 13 December 2021 and you can read the  decision notice [85KB] and  screening report [2MB] online.

On 16 March 2022, Natural England designated the hydrological catchment of the River Lambourn (which is a Special Area of Conservation) as a Nutrient Neutrality Zone (NNZ) due to the unfavourable condition of the watercourse because of unnaturally high levels of phosphorus. The NNZ covers the northern and western parts of Cold Ash Parish, and the draft plan was re-screened to consider its impact upon the NNZ. 

The second screening was published on 29 November 2022 and you can read the decision notice [277KB]  and screening report [1MB]  online.

SEA is required for all plans which may have a significant effect on the environment. A SEA aims to protect the environment at a high level, and ensures the environment is considered during the preparation of plans. This promotes sustainable development.

Not all neighbourhood plans will require a SEA to be carried out. To decide if a SEA is required, a screening exercise is used to look at proposals in an emerging neighbourhood plan, and see if a significant effect is likely.

A HRA is required to determine if a neighbourhood plan would have a significant impact upon the integrity of nature conservation sites of international importance, such as Ramsar Sites, Special Areas of Conservation, and Special Protection Areas. If a plan is likely to result in significant impacts, then an assessment referred to as an Appropriate Assessment must be undertaken.
 

Top

Neighbourhood Area Designation

A Neighbourhood Area for Cold Ash parish was designated on 19 March 2018; you can view the Designated Notice online, here [730KB] .

This is the first formal stage in the preparation of a neighbourhood plan, and the designation now allows Cold Ash Parish Council to commence work on a neighbourhood plan. The parish council have set up a website containing more information about their forthcoming neighbourhood plan.

In order to prepare a neighbourhood plan, town or parish council's must notify West Berkshire Council of their intention to designate a neighbourhood area. You can read the Cold Ash Neighbourhood Area application form online [384KB] .

Top