Planning & Heritage

The Parish Council has produced a Neighbourhood Plan for Cuckfield

What is it ?

The Neighbourhood Plan is the opportunity for residents within the Cuckfield Parish to help determine the future of Cuckfield over the next 20 years. A community group led and funded by the Parish council worked on the plan from September 2011.

The plan allows residents in the community to determine future decisions which affect the development and growth of the village over the plan period of 20 years.

Key Questions considered were:-

• How much housing do we need and where is the best place for development?
• What Infrastructure do we need?
• How do we maintain the character and landscape which make’s Cuckfield distinctive?

Why was it needed?

The Neighbourhood Plan will be seen as a core document in determining future plans including development and infrastructure.

It is important to understand the Neighbourhood Plan while giving local people real power in local decisions, does have to conform to National and Regional policy, which we have to take into account. The plan was inspected by a government inspector and then voted on by residents in a referendum which was accepted.

How?

Cuckfield was the first parish to start developing a Neighbourhood Plan in Mid Sussex and was granted Front Runner status with a financial grant to aid development of the plan. Other parishes and towns have since committed to develop a plan and are engaged in the same process.