Our fight to protect our parish and its Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP)

Dear Parish Residents,

I am writing to share the latest developments in our fight to protect our parish and its Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), which reflects the wishes and hard work of our community. Despite our continued efforts, it is clear that both political escalation and local advocacy are falling short, leaving us with no choice but to pursue our own proactive strategies.

Summary of Deputy Prime Minister’s Response

We finally received a response from the Deputy Prime Minister’s office regarding our concerns over the disregard for the Cold Ash NDP in the West Berkshire Council (WBC) Local Plan. The reply, while predictable, does reaffirm the importance of NDPs in the planning system:

“The National Planning Policy Framework is clear about the important role that neighbourhood plans play in our plan-led system. Once passed at referendum, neighbourhood plans form part of the statutory development plan for the local area, which is the starting point in making planning decisions.”

However, this recognition of the NDP’s role only underscores our frustration—WBC has completely failed to follow this principle. Our NDP, a legally enacted document, has been ignored in decisions that directly affect our parish.

Unfortunately, we’ve also seen little meaningful action from other political avenues:

Ed Davey, despite follow-up letters, has not yet responded.

Our MP, Lee Dillon, has only recently written a follow-up letter to the Deputy Prime Minister supporting our case, after weeks of delays.

This lack of urgency from those in power reinforces the need for Cold Ash Parish Council (CAPC) to take action ourselves to defend the will of our community.

What We’re Doing Next

At our latest council meeting, we voted on three key resolutions to continue our fight. Here’s what we’ve decided:

Crowd Funding Campaign

We are moving forward with a Crowd Funding campaign to fund our actions against the modifications to the Local Plan that impact Cold Ash. The funds will give us the flexibility to act in any way necessary to achieve our aims.

Your support is essential. We’ll share details on how you can contribute and help defend our parish.

Communications Plan

We’ve activated our communications plan to promote the Crowd Funding campaign and ensure as many residents as possible respond to the next consultation on the Main Modifications to the Local Plan.

Public pressure is a key part of our strategy, and every voice counts in showing WBC and the inspector that Cold Ash is united in its opposition to these decisions.

Legal Opinions and Alternative Action

While we considered obtaining a legal opinion, due to the timeframes involved, the resources required, and the anticipated expenses of a Judicial Review, potential outcomes, we decided to prioritise other important activities at this time.

Instead, we are focusing on:

Local Government Ombudsman (LGO): We will file a formal complaint about WBC’s failure to follow its own procedures and the law in ignoring our NDP.

Windfall Sites Evidence: We’re exploring how approvals for other housing developments, such as the Eagle Quarter (decision expected in January), could close the housing gap and eliminate the need for the Bowling Green Road and Henwick Lane proposed development sites in WBC’s housing numbers.

Political Advocacy: Despite delays, Lee Dillon is supporting us in questioning the government about whether planning inspectors are fairly applying the Localism Act.

Developing a strong consultation response to the WBC Local Plan for submission by the end of January 2025 representing all the evidence, thoughts and challenges to the inspector.

Why This Matters

This fight is about more than just opposing development—it’s about defending our community’s right to have a say. We are not against housing; we fully understand the need for development in West Berkshire. However, we believe in smart, community-backed development that respects local input and ensures the best outcomes for everyone.

It is unacceptable that our NDP, which reflects the wishes of Cold Ash residents and was created through thousands of hours of effort, is being ignored. This undermines not only local democracy but also the National Planning Policy Framework’s stated principles.

What You Can Do

We need your help to ensure our community’s voice is heard:

Contribute to the Crowd Funding Campaign: Your support will enable us to pursue this fight effectively: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-our-parish-from-unwanted-development-2024

Respond to the Next Consultation: The Main Modifications consultation period will begin soon. Every response matters—your voice can make a difference.

Spread the Word: Share updates with friends and neighbours to ensure our community stands united.

In the next days, expect more information about the aforementioned measures, such as templates, links, and social media updates.

Together, we can safeguard Cold Ash’s rights and hold West Berkshire Council accountable for their decisions. Thank you for your continuing support.

Yours sincerely,

Pete Murray

Vice Chairman, Cold Ash Parish Council