Referendum

Surrey Heath Borough Council agreed to proceed to a referendum on the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan. As required by the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 as amended, a Decision Statement was published which can be found below.

The Referendum was held on Thursday 2 May 2019. The question asked in the referendum was:

“Do you want Surrey Heath Borough Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Windlesham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

The plan received a positive vote at referendum with 77% of voters supporting the plan. Full results can be found on SHBC elections pages.

 In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations (2012) as amended, the Council published an Information Statement which set out information relating to the referendum and also the following specified documents:

• The Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2028 (as modified);
• A Decision Statement (the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan Decision Statement proceeding to referendum) advising that the local planning authority is satisfied that the draft plan meets the basic conditions and relevant legal requirements;
• The Independent Examiner’s Report;
• A Summary of Representations submitted to the independent examiner;
• A General Information Statement setting out information on town and country planning including neighbourhood planning, and the referendum
• Notice of Referendum Windlesham

The referendum area was identified on the map which is included with the Information Statement. The referendum area is identical to the area which has been designated as the Neighbourhood Plan area for Windlesham.

The referendum was conducted based in accordance with procedures similar to those used at local government elections.

Hard copies of the specified documents are available for inspection at:

• Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Heath House, Knoll Road, Camberley, GU15 3HD (8.30am to 5:00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm Friday);
• Windlesham Parish Council, The Council Offices, The Avenue, Lightwater, Surrey, GU18 5RG (9.00am to 4:00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.00am to 2.00pm Friday);
• Hillview Post Office, 2 Chertsey Road, Windlesham, GU20 6ET (6:00am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday and 6.00am to 12:00pm Sunday);
• Lightwater Library, 83a Guildford Road, Lightwater, GU18 (10:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 10:00am to 1:00pm Saturday).

Independent Examination

An independent examiner, Deborah McCann MRTPI was appointed to undertake the examination of the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan. The Examiner’s Report was released on 13^th December 2018 with the recommendation that the Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum, subject to modification.

View the Independent Examiner’s Report of the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan.

Neighbourhood Plan Submission and Publication

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) the Neighbourhood Plan and supporting information were submitted to Surrey Heath Borough Council for the purposes of consultation, examination and, if appropriate, a referendum ahead of the Plan being ‘made’ (adopted) as part of the Local Plan for the area.

The following documents were submitted.

• Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2028
• A map showing the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan
• The Consultation Statement 
• The Basic Conditions Statement ( incorporating the SEA/HRA Screening Report)

Surrey Heath Borough Council considered the Plan against the statutory requirements set out in paragraph 6 of Schedule 4B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and was satisfied that these have been met. The Council published the submitted Plan and accompanying documents for consultation over a 6 week period from Friday 6^th April 2018 to Friday 18^th May 2018.

These documents are also available to view on the Windlesham Parish council’s website at: http://www.windleshampc.gov.uk/

Representations made on the published version of the Plan have been submitted to an independent Examiner who will undertake an examination of the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan.

View the Windlesham Neighbourhood Plan Schedule of Representations submitted to the Independent Examiner (regulation 16).

Pre-submission Consultation on the Plan

Windlesham Parish Council carried out a Pre-Submission consultation on the Plan from 20^th February 2017 to 2^nd April 2017.

Designated Neighbourhood Area

Surrey Heath Borough Council received an application to designate a Windlesham Ward Neighbourhood Plan Area in 2014. The application was submitted by Windlesham Parish Council.

Following a 6 week consultation (31st October - 12th December 2014) the Windlesham ward was designated by the Council on 27th January 2015 as a Neighbourhood Plan Area.