We are delighted to say that the Neighbourhood Plan can now be adopted following a ‘yes’ vote by residents of the parish at the referendum held on 13th February 2025.
84.7% of those residents who voted, voted ‘yes’ to the question ‘Do you want Sevenoaks District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Fawkham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’ 15.3 % voted ‘no’. Turnout was 34.98%. Sevenoaks District Council documents stating the results are shown below.
The Plan will now be ‘made’ by Sevenoaks District Council at their meeting on 25th February and will then become part of the development plan, used when making decisions and recommendations on planning applications in the parish.
The positive endorsement of the Neighbourhood Plan by the local community is testament to the ‘bottom up’ approach of the Plan, involving community surveys, public consultations and the gathering of evidence by local community volunteers to underpin the 14 planning policies in the Plan. We have been ambitious with the Plan, and policies include giving stronger protection to landscape character and views, woodland and hedgerows, open spaces and public rights of way, and requiring biodiversity measures to preserve or enhance the local ecological network, amongst many other things.
The Neighbourhood Plan is also resulting in a number of projects in the Parish, including providing interpretation boards describing the history and biodiversity of different areas, replacing the Parish signs, improving footpaths, and endeavouring to make improvements to the open space at Small Grains.
We would like to thank members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, the consultants we employed, all those in the community involved in helping to create and shape the Plan, and whomever came out to vote, and look forward to the Neighbourhood Plan being used effectively by Sevenoaks District Council to determine future planning applications in Fawkham.