Cople Parish Council is preparing a Neighbourhood Plan covering the whole Parish. Over the past three years, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group has undertaken initial consultation and gathered background evidence. It has now completed a draft Neighbourhood Plan.

Due to some minor issues arising in the documents available at the previous Regulation 14 Consultation, the Parish Council has decided to carry out a further 6 week consultation under Regulation 14. The screening reports for the Habitats Regulations and the Strategic Environmental Assessment will also be made available on the Parish Council’s website.

If you commented previously, your comments will be carried forward and there is no need to repeat them or notify us.

In accordance with the 2012 Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations (Regulation 14), the Draft Neighbourhood Plan is out to formal consultation for a period of six weeks from 14th September to 31st October.

Following revision to reflect consultation responses, it is hoped that the Neighbourhood Plan will be submitted to Bedford Borough Council in December 2024. An examination is likely in February 2025 and it is anticipated that a local referendum will be held in June 2025. In the meantime, it is important that as many people and organisations comment on the draft plan during this consultation. In addition to engaging local people, community organisations and businesses in the Parish, the Parish Council wishes to obtain the views of statutory bodies and other interested organisations at each stage of the Plan. Your comments are, therefore, invited.

The Draft Plan feedback form is on the Parish Council website. You can also make any comments by email (or letter). It is hoped that as many people as possible will use electronic means to read the plan and submit comments in the interests of efficiency and the environment.

The Draft Plan and accompanying documents are on the Parish Council website:  https://cople-pc.gov.uk/cople-parish-council-neigbourhood-plan/ 

If you need to view a hard copy of the Plan, it is available at the following locations:

  • The Five Bells Pub

  • Cople Sports and Social Club

  • All Saints Church

The Cople Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is managing the process on behalf of the Parish Council

E-mail: [email protected]

Post: 17 Rye Crescent, Cople, Bedford MK44 3TJ

The Steering Group looks forward to hearing from you by the close of the consultation.

Yours,

Robert Bellew

Chair, Cople Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group