Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan

• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan(PDF 1.1MB)
• Appendix A - Map of Area.
• Appendix B - Non-designated local heritage sites.
• Appendix C - Design Code.
  • Appendix C - Addendum.
• Appendix D - Identified Sites.
• Appendix E - Sustainability Table.

Council granted the application on 26th April 2017.

• Sowerby Neighbourhood Development Plan Application(PDF 276KB)
• Sowerby Neighbourhood Development Plan Area(PDF 2MB)
• Sowerby Record of Decision(PDF 759KB)

This was held from 15th December 2018 to 27th January 2019.

The plan and supporting documentation submitted to the Council on 25th November 2019 were:

• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan 2019-2034 - Submission Draft Plan.
  • Appendix A - Neighbourhood Area.
  • Appendix B - Non-designated assets.
  • Appendix C - Design Code.
  • Appendix D - Identified Development Sites.
  • Appendix E - Sustainability Table.
• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan - Consultation Statement.
  • Meetings, Communications and Questionnaires.
  • Summary of Initial Consultation.
  • Summary of Initial Heritage Consultation.
• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan - Basic Conditions Statement.
• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan - SEA/HRA Screening Report and Determination.

Evidence supporting the Neighbourhood Plan:

• Sowerby Heritage and Character Assessment.
• Sowerby Housing Needs Assessment.
• Sowerby Design Code.
• Sowerby Ecological Assessment.
• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan - Health Check.
• Policies referred to in Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan.

The Council undertook publicity of the plan submission documents from 6th December 2019 to 31st January 2020.

The representations received can be seen in this document:

• Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan Representations(PDF 528KB)

We appointed an independent examiner, Robert Bryan MRTPI, from April 2021 to June 2021.

Submission documents

• Summary of representations submitted to the independent examiner.
• Basic Conditions statement.
• Decision statement.

The examiner produced an initial set of questions in April 2021 for Sowerby Neighbourhood Forum (qualifying body) and Calderdale Council. This was based on an initial assessment of the submitted plan and representations received through the Regulation 16 Publicity/Consultation. A further set was produced in May 2021.

The examination was conducted through written representations rather than a virtual public inquiry.

Examination documents

• Report of the Examiner (27th May 2021)(PDF 268KB)
• Examiner's Questions (5th April 2021)(PDF 53KB)
• Council's Response to Examiner's Questions (13th April 2021)(PDF 241KB)
  • Revised Non-Designated Assets Map(PDF 1.4MB)
• Examiner's Questions (12th May 2021)(PDF 53KB)
• Council's Response to Examiner's Questions (19th May 2021)(PDF 150KB)

After an independent examination, Calderdale Council deemed that the plan should go to a referendum. This took place on 25th November 2021.

• Information Statement.

The referendum question was:

"Do you want Calderdale Council to use this plan for Sowerby to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

• There was a turnout of 12%.
• The results of the poll were 255 votes in favour (85%) and 46 votes against (15%).

More than 50% of those voting in the referendum voted 'yes'. Therefore the Plan now carries full weight and is considered to be part of the statutory development plan for the Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan Area.

The Plan was adopted by a meeting of Full Council on 9th February 2022.