Local Plan

Romsey Neighbourhood Plan – Progress Update

Over the past year, work on the Romsey Neighbourhood Plan has moved from gathering ideas and evidence towards developing a detailed draft that will soon be presented for public consultation.

It is important to understand that a Neighbourhood Plan cannot decide how many homes Romsey must accommodate or where major development sites are located; those decisions are made through national policy and the Borough Local Plan. What it can do is influence how development takes place, shaping design, infrastructure, green spaces and community facilities. The draft Plan focuses on three main themes.

The first is Land Use and Development. Consultation responses consistently highlighted concerns about infrastructure keeping pace with growth. As a result, the Plan promotes an infrastructure-led approach, encouraging consideration of roads, parking, town centre, healthcare and community facilities alongside new development. While much attention is focused on the major growth areas, the Plan also seeks to protect and enhance the wider town and Parish and strengthens Romsey's distinctive character.

The second theme is Green Infrastructure. Romsey's residents repeatedly told us how much they value the town's green spaces, countryside setting and the River Test. The draft Plan therefore places strong emphasis on protecting and enhancing green spaces, wildlife habitats, green corridors and access to nature. It also recognises the growing importance of climate resilience, including tree planting, sustainable drainage and measures that help communities adapt to changing weather patterns.

The third theme is Travel and Active Travel. Traffic congestion remains one of the issues most frequently raised during consultation. The Plan therefore seeks better integration between new development and the wider transport network, while also supporting safer walking and cycling routes, improved accessibility and stronger public transport connections. The aim is not to favour one form of transport over another, but to create a network that works effectively for everyone.

Deriving from these themes are the planning policies designed to help shape future development. While the detailed wording is still being refined, the policies focus on issues repeatedly raised by residents during consultation. These include: promoting comprehensive masterplanning of larger growth areas, protecting green spaces and wildlife corridors, maintaining the separate identity of settlements, encouraging high standards of design, supporting sustainable travel and helping new neighbourhoods become well-connected communities rather than isolated housing estates. The overall aim is to ensure that future growth contributes positively to the town and leaves a lasting benefit for both existing and future residents.

The draft Plan also contains a number of longer-term aspirations for the town, covering areas such as healthcare, community facilities, the town centre, employment opportunities and countryside access.

Later this year, hopefully from September,  the Plan will enter its public consultation stages: firstly a general consultation that will provide another opportunity for residents, businesses and organisations to review the draft and tell us whether they believe it reflects the future they want for Romsey. After further editing this will be followed by a formal examination and referendum.

The Neighbourhood Plan cannot stop change, but it can help shape it. Our aim is that as Romsey grows, it remains recognisably Romsey – an attractive, distinctive and welcoming market town with a strong sense of community and place.