Neighbourhood Plan

What’s this?

It sets out planning policies for a local area. It’s used whether to approve planning applications – including new buildings or changes to existing ones. It’s written by the local community, the people who know and love the area, to ensure the community gets the right types of development in the right place. It’s legal: neighbourhood planning is supported by government legislation through the localism act.

 

Regulation 16 Consultation July 2023

Since April 2019, Hermitage Parish Council has been working on our neighbourhood plan which was submitted to West Berkshire District Council in February 2023.  After submission, responsibility for taking the plans forward lies with the local planning authority, West Berkshire District Council.

West Berkshire Council is carrying out consultations on both the Cold Ash NDP and the Hermitage NDP from Friday 21 July until 4:30pm on Friday 1 September 2023 and would like to invite comments from the public on the submitted plans and their supporting documents.

These consultations are also known as ‘Regulation 16 Consultations’.

Where to view the Plan
The submission, Hermitage NDP and its supporting documents can be viewed:

• Online: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/hermitagenp;
• Hard copy: At West Berkshire District Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD. The offices are open Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm, and on Fridays 8:30am to 4:30pm; and

In Adelaide Room, Holy Trinity Church, Marlston Road, Hermitage, RG18 9SU.

How to comment on the Plan
Representations can be made in writing or by way of electronic communications:

• Online: using the Council’s Local Plan Consultation Portal which can be accessed at: https://consult.westberks.gov.uk/kse/. You will need to register, but then any comments you make will be stored in your account for future reference. Registration is possible using a Facebook or Twitter account.

• By Representation Form which is available to download at:

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/hermitagenp
or on paper from the Adelaide Room, Holy Trinity Church Marlston Rd

Completed forms can be returned by email to planningpolicy@westberks.gov.uk or by post to: Planning Policy Team, Development and Planning, West Berkshire District Council, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD.

What happens next
 Once the consultations finish, the Hermitage NDP and Cold Ash NDP will each undergo independent examination. The representations received on both the Cold Ash NDP and Hermitage NDP will be forwarded to the appointed examiners.

The opportunity for further comments at this stage would only be at the specific request of the examiners. Most neighbourhood plans are examined without the need for a public hearing. If you think the neighbourhood plans require a public hearing, you can state this in your comments, but the examiners will make the final decision.

Following the examinations, the examiners will issue reports, which could include some recommended changes to the draft plans to meet a set of tests known as ‘Basic Conditions’. If this part of the process is successful, the next stage would be to proceed to a Referendum.

If the Cold Ash NDP and Hermitage NDP are successful at Referendum, then the plans will form part of the statutory development plan and will form the basis for determining planning applications in Cold Ash Parish and Hermitage Parish.

 

Vision for Hermitage 2037

Hermitage will be a strong and thriving community with residents from all age groups and backgrounds.

Hermitage will retain its unique character and identity both within the parish and in the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The green spaces and local wildlife site that it cherishes will continue to thrive, creating a desirable location by maintaining its separation from neighbouring villages.

The village will provide an environment that supports residents of all ages to live, work and enjoy leisure with access to the surrounding AONB to enjoy social activities safely and remains a service village for the wider area.

Hermitage will provide a strong contribution to support and exceed local and national environmental policies for green low energy housing, striving to become a beacon of excellence.

Residents will benefit from being in as safe an environment as possible with traffic posing less of a threat and with safe links for cyclists and pedestrians both within the village and to access other villages and local transport hubs.

The effects of new development, traffic measures and car parking on the local landscape will be carefully and sensitively managed.

 

Are Green Spaces Important?

You told us you valued the green spaces in and around Hermitage. The NDP can formally designate Green Spaces to protect them for the future. Hermitage’s open spaces include:
o Furze Hill recreation ground
o Strip of land on east side Pinewood Crescent (with tall trees, next to the gas governor)
o Pinewood Playground
o Rowlock Gardens Pond
o Dines Way green
o Lipscomb Close green
o Hermitage Green open space.
What have we missed?
Can you help?
Which green spaces in Hermitage are important to you?
Why are they important? Beautiful? Good for recreation? Something else, if so, what?
Allotments – If a piece of land in Hermitage could be developed into allotments for residents, would you be interested in applying for one?
Please let the NDP team know what you think. Email Hermitagendp@gmail.com with “Green spaces” as the subject.
Thank you

 

Heritage Buildings of Hermitage

The Neighbourhood Plan is looking to identify old buildings within the parish that might have
• Historical
• Artistical
• Architectural
interest, or might hold special associations or memories for Hermits. Such buildings could become ‘non-designated Heritage Assets’

‘Non-designated heritage assets’ are buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes that have a degree of heritage significance meriting consideration in planning decisions but which do not meet the criteria for designated heritage assets.

Can you help?
• Can you think of any buildings in Hermitage that might need to be included?
• Do you know roughly when they were built?
• Why are they important?

Please send any information to Hermitagendp@gmail.com and put ‘Heritage’ as the subject

 

Hermitage Housing Needs Survey – Summary

Introduction

arc4 was commissioned by Hermitage Parish Council to undertake a housing needs survey. The survey was conducted in order to gather evidence to support appropriate policies in the emerging neighbourhood development plan for the parish of Hermitage. The study area is that of the parish of Hermitage, West Berkshire.

What is the affordable housing need in Hermitage?

The housing needs survey (HNS) has concluded that:

• need exists for 24 additional affordable homes over a 5-year period;

• this need is in the form of affordable home ownership rather than social rented housing;

• this need arises from both existing and newly forming households; and

• all size and types of dwellings are needed, with an emphasis on bungalows for older people, and 2 or 3-bedroom dwellings for growing families.

Why is this?

• this is mostly due to high house prices, and that few affordable or market rented options exist for those unable to afford entry level market housing;

• there is virtually no supply of affordable home ownership housing in the parish;

• there has been no additional affordable housing of any type built in the parish in recent years;

• most existing households (52%) in housing need want to stay in the parish;

• most newly forming households (87%) plan to leave the parish; and

• the most frequent reasons cited for moving home by existing households is ‘rightsizing’ i.e., needing a larger or smaller dwelling.

What is the need for additional market housing in Hermitage?

There is a need for market housing across the board, with a particular demand for bungalows and larger family dwellings.

Why is this?

• The survey evidence suggests that this is because of older person households needing to downsize to smaller, more suitable dwellings. This would also free up larger homes for growing families. The survey demonstrates significant levels of need from households seeking to upsize.

House prices and affordability

• On average, parish prices are much higher than for West Berkshire district as a whole;

• this is due to the both high demand for housing and because the predominant house type is the 4 or more-bedroom detached house;

• this means that larger amounts of income and capital such as savings and equity are needed to fund house purchase or rents;

• this particularly affects younger households and first-time buyers; and

• it also means that affordable housing in its various forms is needed if younger people are to be and families are to be retained in the parish.

What demographic trends are likely to apply to the parish?

• According to government population projections, over the 25 years (2016 to 2041) the population of the district will decline by 884 people;

• the population aged 65 and over will grow by 14,858 people, or 49.7%. This is the only age group set to grow in number over the period; and

• this change will impact on the parish and future housing need as the population ages.

How and when was this evidence collected?

How?

• data was sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), the Land Registry, Rightmove and Zoopla; and

• data and other information were also collected from a household survey. 277 valid responses were achieved

When?

• the household survey was conducted in February 2021 and the report was drafted in March 2021

 

New Houses For Hermitage

West Berks Council (WBC) recently published its draft Planning Review for the period 2026 to 2037

You can access this here –  https://info.westberks.gov.uk/localplanreview2037 

Key points –

• Hermitage has been allocated 20 additional dwellings beyond the 38 already in the planning process (page 60)
• Sites will be allocated by residents through the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP).
• WBC has made initial assessments of 6 sites in Hermitage – https://info.westberks.gov.uk/helaa

NDP group will be taking a closer look at the 6 sites but need your help –

Please email NDP your thoughts by 22 January 2021 to hermitagendp@gmail.com

By all means reply to WBC too but it is important that you let NDP know so we can reflect your views as we develop the Hermitage NDP

 

Community Survey 2020

Summary of the ‘Homes for Hermitage – What Next?’ Survey

These are the main themes of the responses sent in by email and at the Open Day:

Housing and infrastructure        

Some people are opposed any development; most said the village needs homes for elderly folk who want to downsize but remain here (a retirement home is a possibility) plus affordable homes for people just getting onto the property ladder.

New homes need to be in harmony with existing ones but need not duplicate them.

Bungalows should be kept, and new ones built.

Some villagers were opposed to flats, others in favour provided no higher than 3 stories, with parking for residents and visitors, and gardens for recreation.

New homes must be eco-friendly re water and heating, with charging points for electric cars and put no strain on existing infrastructure.

Transport

Lack of parking causes danger for road- and pavement-users, emergency vehicles, new developments must not increase this. Hot spots: Post Office and the school.

An inadequate bus service makes people more dependent on cars.

New businesses to provide lockable bike storage, benches for pedestrians to rest on.

The roundabouts on main roads improvement.

The B4009 is busy and also has many heavy vehicles using it.

Roads need widening.

Some villagers were in favour of traffic calming to slow down speedsters, others said it would make a bad situation worse.

Green spaces, footpaths, cycle and bridleways

People love living here because of these features, which must be protected, possibly improved.

• The Active Travel Route should be extended to Newbury.
• A circular route from Hampstead Norreys Road through Oare and into Priors Court Road could be created for walkers, cyclists and runners.
• The footpath along the B4009 from the bus stop below Priors Court roundabout to reach the Curridge sign is dangerous at present.
• A cycle route between Hermitage and Curridge exists in principle beside the Army base but the surface needs improving.

The woods must not be cut down to make space for development.

A community orchard and allotments were suggested.

New homes must have enough space for gardens front and back.

Planning for the future

Villagers tend to react to proposed developments at the last minute; it is time consuming to trawl through websites so better communication from West Berkshire Council would be appreciated. We need to plan for 10 years’ time, the new smart M4, and people commuting from nearby towns. The village needs a mix of old and young residents so plans must suit both age groups.

 

NDP Open Day 25th June 2022

Help Shape the future of our village

The future development of Hermitage will be strongly influenced by a Hermitage Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). This can only be created with input and feedback from our community.

The NDP Team need to actively consult with village residents so your views and visions can be considered when creating the NDP for submission to the West Berkshire Council. Once adopted, the NDP will carry legal weight, affecting future planning decisions.

YOUR VIEWS ARE IMPORTANT!
Please make time to visit our open day workshop and give us your thoughts. We need feedback on topics such as:
• what future housing will look like;
• where it will be;
• which green spaces need protecting;
• what the future needs of the village are;
• which historic buildings need protecting;

Please give us your thoughts and ideas on the day or via email @
hermitagendp@gmail.com

SATURDAY 25th JUNE at HERMITAGE PRIMARY SCHOOL (Woodland Lodge).
Doors open between 10.00am and 4.00pm

 

NPD Open Day 10th October 2020

Please see the documents below

 

Notification of Public Consultation on Hermitage Neighbourhood Development Plan 2022-2037

(Pre-Submission Consultation under Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 – as amended)

Hermitage Parish Council (HPC) is pleased to announce that the final draft of the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been approved for public consultation and comment under Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (as amended). The consultation period will run for a period of 6 weeks from Monday 24 October to Monday 5 December 2022.

You can view and download an electronic copy of the plan and the 3 supporting documents below. Alternatively, you can view a paper copy of the NDP at each of the following locations in Hermitage:

The Adelaide Room at Holy Trinity Church, The Fox Inn and The White Horse

If you wish to be contacted about future consultation events in respect of the Hermitage NDP, then your representations must include your name/name of your organisation, address and post code.

All representations must be received by 1700 on Monday 5 December

Nicola Pierce

Clerk to Hermitage Parish Council