THE neighbourhood plan for the Bere Ferrers parish has reached a landmark stage in its progress towards providing an adopted plan for the community.

The Bere Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan will be published on January 31 both online and in hard copy format and a public consultation period will follow from February 1 to March 15, where residents will be able to comment on the plan.

Neighbourhood plans were introduced as part of the Localism Act brought in by the Government in 2011, giving local communities the right to create their own plans that will need to be used by local planning authorities as part of statutory statements concerning housing, employment, heritage and transport. Once adopted by residents through a referendum, this becomes a formal statement that must be taken into account by higher authorities.

Nearly 2,000 neighbourhood plan areas have been designated across England so far, with nearly 250 being ‘made’ or adopted.

A steering group working under the auspices of Bere Ferrers Parish Council has been involved in writing the plan that has evolved from parish plan through community plan to neighbourhood plan.

A launch consultation event is planned for February 1 in the parish hall in Bere Alston, from 6pm to 8pm and the parish council is urging as many residents as possible to attend and be informed on the key elements of the plan. Members of the steering group will be present.

Cllr Mike Benson, Bere Peninsula Plan co-ordinator, said: ‘After the plan has gone through the consultation process, involving statutory bodies as well as local residents, the steering group will need to take due account of comments made and amend the plan if and as necessary. Before the referendum, which will involve all those on the electoral register, the plan will need to be looked at by an independent examiner.

‘The Bere Peninsula Plan includes sections concerning housing, environment, economy, community, transport and communications. It contains policies and other proposals that highlight issues within the Bere Ferrers parish, whose relative isolation as an inland peninsula mainly bounded by the rivers Tamar and Tavy as well as being in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, creates special problems. It will identify where new housing should go and the benefits to the community. The plan will provide a blueprint for development in the parish up to 2034.’

Six ‘walk-in’ events are planned during the six-week consultation period — Saturday, February 4, from 10am to noon at Bere Alston Parish Hall; Saturday, February 4 from 10am to noon at Bere Ferrers Community Shop; Wednesday, February 8 from 10am to noon during ‘soft play’ at Bere Alston Parish Hall; Saturday, February 25 from 10am to noon at Bere Ferrers Community Shop; Saturday, February 25 from 10am to noon at Bere Alston Parish Hall mini-market and Saturday, March 4 from 10am to noon at Bere Ferrers Community Shop.

There will also be ‘Table Talk’ sessions in Hope Cottage from 10am to noon on Monday and Tuesday mornings over the consultation period.

Residents will be able to view and comment on the plan at any of the events, or online at www.berepeninslaplan. org.uk or at Bere Ferrers Parish Council Office, Station Road, Bere Alston, PL20 7EJ.