Langdon Parish Council is conducting a survey of the local community from all four villages to inform a Neighbourhood Plan for the period 2023-2040. It’s your chance to tell us how you think your village and parish should evolve over the next decade or two.
Neighbourhood planning was introduced by the Localism Act in 2011. The idea behind localism is that decision-making is shared – from national or local government to local communities. Parish councils can produce neighbourhood plans for their local areas, putting in place a strategy, policies and projects for the future of the area.
Neighbourhood plans can provide for new facilities, or allocate sites for housing, employment, recreation or wildlife. It may deal with a wide range of issues (such as environment, design, heritage and transport) or it may focus on one or two issues only. If successful at referendum, a neighbourhood plan will become part of the statutory Development Plan for the area and be used by the parish council and Dover District Council to make planning decisions.
The Parish Council has certain statutory duties and responsibility to consult its local people over the future direction of the community. This is the second time that the communities of East Langdon, West Langdon, Martin and Martin Mill have been asked for their views in this way (the first being in 2011).
Every household in the parish will have a copy of the questionnaire delivered to their door with an option to complete the questionnaire online. Businesses and other organisations will be involved at a later date. We would like you to discuss the questions with other members of your household so that you give a 'household view'. If any of the questions are not relevant to you - just ignore them and move on.
We need all local households to respond to the questionnaire, so that findings are reflective of the parish views. The results from the survey will tell us which aspects of parish life are most important to local people and those areas where change is needed. The Parish Council will use the results to produce a neighbourhood plan setting out the key issues, policies and projects. We are very interested in hearing your views as this will help us prioritise those funds that become available, for example through contributions required from developers.
If you have a query on any part of the questionnaire, please contact the Parish Clerk clerk@langdonpc.org.uk or call on 07732 286512 or the Chairman, Chris Shaw on 07971 579096 to make arrangements for a member of the committee to assist.
