The Neighbourood Plan

The process of preparing a plan is intended to be fairly simple in many respects. It requires:

• agreement that a plan is needed; 

• some evidence based facts and figures about the area to enable us to make informed proposals.   

• for the community to agree what the neighbourhood should be like – this needs to be debated and agreed at a wider community event;

• a plan showing the sort of change and actions that might be necessary to move the  neighbourhood from what it is now to what it could be in the future – this needs to be developed with wider community involvement and consulted on;

• a list of priority projects which it is realistic for us to pursue – these need to be developed with wider community involvement and consulted on.

In May 2011 we leafleted the whole neighbourhood and held a community meeting at which it was agreed a plan was needed.  At the meeting we asked people to express an interest in becoming involved and developed a list of members. If you would like to become a member please contact us!

Our next step involved compiling facts and figures about the area to ensure we have all the evidence we need to prepare a plan. We are completing this work in January.  See Diary

In November 2011 we again leafleted the whole community to invite people to the Big Neighbourhood Drop-in to start to develop the plan in earnest! Keep an eye out for announcements on the website about the next community event.

A Neighbourhood Plan could have numerous benefits to St James:

• Increased 'sense of community' because of the collaborative neighbourhood planning process;

• Greater hope for the future and confidence that the social balance of the area will not continue to be be lost;

• Better planning, development and investment decisions which take into account the views of the community;

• It is likely to be possible to identify and seek to secure funding for projects which may be of benefit to the community, for example enhanced green space or new community facilities;

• The ability to identify community assets for enhancement and protection under the provisions of new planning law;

• More local jobs and opportunities arising from measures to support the St James economy;

• The ability to encourage services and development that are not currently met within St James;

• Improved relations and linkages between the community, planning authorities and our Associates;