Welcome to the website of the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum
What is a Neighbourhood Forum?
Neighbourhood forums were created to empower residents to influence the future development of their area. The Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum was designated by South Tyneside Council in 2017. Since then, the Forum has been working on developing the neighbourhood plan. The Forum also has the wider remit to promote the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Whitburn area and its residents. You can read more about the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum here.
How do you make a neighbourhood plan?
The first step in the process of creating a neighbourhood plan is to create a forum. Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum was founded in September 2016 by like-minded individuals who cared for their village. Whilst the initial forum size was around 20 local residents and employees, it is now over 300 and continues to grow.
Once officially recognised as a neighbourhood forum by the local authority, the forum can begin to create a neighbourhood plan. Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum and the corresponding Whitburn neighbourhood area received official recognition in January 2017 by South Tyneside Council, after a public consultation was held. This meant that work on the plan and its policies could commence. Work on the neighbourhood plan has included continual consultation with the Whitburn community.
Once a draft plan has been written, it is formally consulted on with the public and other consultees, such as the local authority. This consultation will result in an amended submission plan. This plan will be submitted to the council, who will hold a six-week public consultation. The Plan with all its comments will go to public inquiry held by a planning inspector. The plan will then be amended one more time. The council will decide whether the Plan will go to referendum. If it does, it will be voted on by Whitburn residents in a local referendum. Once approved and in force, planning applications within the neighbourhood forum’s boundaries must be assessed against the neighbourhood plan.
You can read more about the Whitburn Neighbourhood Plan here.
Once officially recognised as a neighbourhood forum by the local authority, the forum can begin to create a neighbourhood plan. Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum and the corresponding Whitburn neighbourhood area received official recognition in January 2017 by South Tyneside Council, after a public consultation was held. This meant that work on the plan and its policies could commence. Work on the neighbourhood plan has included continual consultation with the Whitburn community.
Once a draft plan has been written, it is formally consulted on with the public and other consultees, such as the local authority. This consultation will result in an amended submission plan. This plan will be submitted to the council, who will hold a six-week public consultation. The Plan with all its comments will go to public inquiry held by a planning inspector. The plan will then be amended one more time. The council will decide whether the Plan will go to referendum. If it does, it will be voted on by Whitburn residents in a local referendum. Once approved and in force, planning applications within the neighbourhood forum’s boundaries must be assessed against the neighbourhood plan.
You can read more about the Whitburn Neighbourhood Plan here.
All header photographs by John Short
