When?

1. You should receive a copy of the Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire in the week beginning 16th March 2014.
2. If you haven’r received a copy by 23rd March 2014 email here or phone 720 513.
3. If the freepost envelope is missing email or phone as above (or pop it in any envelope and write ORCC,  FreepostNATW 805   Witney,  OX29 4BR)
4. If you need help or have questions about completing the form email or phone as above.
5. Please complete it and post it in the freepost envelope AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and definitely before 20th April 2014.

Why a Questionnaire?

1.  The Neighbourhood Plan (N.P.) cannot be about stopping development.  It is about making sure that what development does take place is appropriate for Bloxham.
2. Many residents have contributed through the N.P. working groups.
3. They have produced lots of evidence on which the plan will be based.
4. We have produced a series of policies based upon this evidence along with the ongoing feedback from residents  at various village events.

BUT

1. There are things we still need to know about how much some village facilities are used.
2. We need to be sure that the proposed policies are supported by the majority of people in the village.   If not – then we’ll modify them

The questionnaire results provide the evidence that the Neighbourhood Plan fits with the wishes of the majority of the residents of Bloxham.

If we don’t get a high return rate then developers will challenge any aspects of the plan that  they find inconvenient or that affects their profit margins.

Confidentiality

1. The questionnaires are 100% confidential.
2. There is nothing in them to indicate which household they have come from.
3. Nobody in Bloxham gets to see any of the completed questionnaires.

Must I answer every question?

1. The more questions you answer from Sections 1 and 2 the more useful it will be to us – but even if you decide to miss some questions DO POST IT.
2. Section 3 is only for people seeking a new ‘affordable’ home in Bloxham. Note ‘affordable’ homes are most commonly homes rented from a housing association that are only available to people on the district council housing needs register. They are not just cheap homes that anyone can buy!

What’s in the Plan

1. It’s not like the  Parish Plan. A Neighbourhood  Plan has to be about land, housing and business.
2. Unlike the Parish Plan a Neighbourhood Plan carries weight in law.
3. It looks at
   •  How many new houses we should have.
   • How they should be grouped.
   • What size and type of housing we will need for the future
   • How they should enhance and not detract from the rural nature of Bloxham.
   • How they should respect existing neighbouring dwellings.
   • What factors should be considered when approving new homes such as avoidance of flooding,  ease of getting to schools, shops, impact upon traffic hotspots etc.

   We haven’t tried to specify exactly where new dwellings should go.  N.P. groups that have done this have often been overtaken by events. as developers build on other land before the N.P. has been passed.

   

4.  It will also look at  recreational spaces in terms of:
   • sports pitches
   • green spaces around the village
   • play areas
   • indoor community provision.

These are areas where we need the results of the questionnaire to see what residents think before working with the various trustees and village groups  to consider the land implications of  a recreation plan for the whole village.