Horsmonden
Key stages
The Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan was ‘made’ by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council at Full Council on 5 July 2023.
5 July 2023
Referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan
On 8 June 2023, the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan Referendum was held. In response to the question: “Do you want Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Horsmonden to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”, the number of votes cast responding Yes was 534. The number of votes cast responding No was 31. As more than 50 per cent of those that voted chose 'Yes', the Plan will proceed to Full Council on 5 July 2023, recommending that the Neighbourhood Development Plan be 'made' (adopted) as part of the development plan for the area.
Consideration of Examiner’s report, recommendations, and recommended modifications
Following an independent examination undertaken by written representations, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) confirmed that the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan (HNDP) can proceed to a Neighbourhood Planning Referendum.
The decision statement is published here.
The Referendum Version of the NDP can be viewed below
Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan Referendum final pdf
The area that the referendum is to cover is that of the Neighbourhood Area, i.e., Horsmonden Parish.
The date on which the referendum took place was Thursday 8 June 2023.
Neighbourhood Plan Independent Examination
The neighbourhood plan, following the Regulation 16 consultation, was subject to an independent examination. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has appointed an independent examiner (with the agreement of the qualifying body). The independent examiner recommends in his Final Report dated 28 November 2022 that the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan, as modified by the examiner’s recommendations, should proceed to referendum.
The following documents are available for viewing:
Neighbourhood Plan Proposal
Horsmonden Parish Council submitted the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 20 June 2022 in accordance with Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).
In accordance with Regulation 16 the Borough Council is inviting representations on the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan for an eight-week period from Monday 4 July to 5pm on Monday 29 August 2022.
The following documents are available for viewing:
Paper copies will be available for viewing at the Gun and Spit Roast Public House, Heath Stores and at the Parish Office, Horsmonden Village Hall, Back Lane. For the parish office, please phone 07484 904765 to arrange an appointment.
The easiest way to submit comments on the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan is online via the Planning Policy Consultation Portal.
Alternatively, you may also submit your comments in the following ways:
- by email to: neighbourhoodplans@tunbridgewells.gov.uk (please use the response form as it ensures we have all the right information from you)
- by post to: Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan, Planning Policy, Planning Services, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS
You can submit as many separate comments on the Plan as you wish, and you can also provide supporting documents to your response.
Next steps
Following the eight-week consultation period, the Borough Council will collate and pass all representations to an independent examiner who will look at them and the Plan documents when assessing whether the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan meets the relevant legislation and can proceed to referendum. In responding to the consultation, you may also request to be notified of the Council’s decision regarding the outcome of the independent examination of the Plan (under Regulation 19 (see Question 2a of the response form).
If the examiner and the Council believe that the Plan meets all the relevant requirements, then a decision will be made to hold a referendum on the Plan, which will allow residents to decide whether the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan should be confirmed and become part of the Development Plan for the borough, carrying relevant legal weight in the determination of planning applications in the parish of Horsmonden.
Further information and background documents on the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan are available to view on the Parish Council’s website.
If you require further information on the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan consultation process, please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01892 554056 or email neighbourhoodplans@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.
Designation of Horsmonden Parish as a Neighbourhood Area
Horsmonden Parish Council applied to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for the designation of a neighbourhood area under The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. The area proposed covers the whole of the parished area of Horsmonden and is the first step for Horsmonden Parish Council in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan.
The borough council approved the Neighbourhood Area on 24 November 2017.
The following documents are available for viewing:
For more information on the Horsmonden Neighbourhood Plan, please see the Horsmonden Parish Council website.