Residents living in Coldean are being invited to help shape the future of their neighbourhood by taking part in a public consultation.
A draft Neighbourhood Plan for Coldean has been submitted to the council and residents can share their views by completing the Your Voice consultation.
Prepared by members of the Coldean Neighbourhood Forum, the draft plan includes a design guide and policies which aim to protect and enhance local green spaces and promote sustainable transport. The plan also seeks to manage the number of houses in multiple occupation.
Councillor Alison Thomson, chair of the Planning Committee, said: “Neighbourhood Plans play a major role in helping to determine the outcome of planning applications, and give local people the opportunity to take a lead in planning the future of their area.
“I would urge Coldean residents to take part in this consultation and help to shape the future of their community – for now and for future generations.”
Coldean was formally designated as a Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum by the council and the South Downs National Park Authority in 2021.
Since then, members of the Neighbourhood Forum have been preparing the draft plan, in line with the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning regulations, and consulting with residents and stakeholders.
A public consultation in 2024 resulted in some amendments to the draft plan following input from residents.
The current draft plan has been submitted to the council, along with supporting documents and evidence. Its policies must align with City Plan Part 1 and 2, The South Downs Local Plan and those within the National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF).
Following the consultation, the council will submit the draft plan, along with all the responses received, to an independent examiner who will consider whether the plan meets all the necessary statutory requirements.
Based on the examiner’s report, the council will then decide whether to put the Neighbourhood Plan to a local referendum.
If approved, it will be formally ‘made’ and the policies used to help decide the outcome of planning applications in the Coldean area.
Members of the public can view all the consultation documents and submit comments on the council’s Your Voice consultation website
A Word version of the survey form is available on request via neighb
