Tasley Neighbourhood Plan Strategy, Vision, Objectives

1. TNP by law has to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.  The NPPF (para 7) explains that at a very high level, the objective of sustainable development can be summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. At a similarly high level, members of the United Nations – including the United Kingdom – have agreed to pursue the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development in the period to 2030. These address social progress, economic well-being and environmental protection.  The NPPF explains that the planning system has three overarching objectives which are interdependent: an economic objective, a social objective and an environmental objective.

2. Given the scale of development already proposed in the Local Plan, TNP does not allocate any further sites for development (housing or employment).  Local needs for housing and employment provision will be met through the proposed Tasley Garden Village development and other policies and proposals in the Local Plan.  

3. The natural and built heritage and environment is valued by our local communities and there are strong local concerns about the potential impact of the proposed development on the existing environment, settlements and communities within our area, for example through increased traffic and pollution, diversion of public transport and loss of heritage and landscape amenity and on the ability of existing health and other services, facilities and amenities to cope with the additional demand. An important focus for our Neighbourhood Plan is therefore safeguarding and enhancing the existing facilities, services, amenities and character of the neighbourhood, as much as providing new facilities, services and amenities.  

4. The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has agreed a set of Garden City Principles.  Overall, the Strategy for the TNP will be to achieve sustainable development through the application of those relevant Garden Village Principles and to ensure the policy themes of TNP are aligned to the principles.  In this way major new development proposals will be properly connected to and embedded within the Parish and existing community and will be of a high-quality design.  This will be achieved as follows: 

• Land value capture for the community

Investment from developer contributions and CIL (collected by Shropshire Council and spent by Shropshire Council and Tasley Parish Council) will be used to support community led projects to enhance local facilities and improve the environment.  A list of community aspirations and parish council actions will be prepared as part of the TNP consultation process – see Appendix 1. 

• Strong and community engagement 

TNP will be prepared through extensive community engagement and consultation.  The views and ideas of residents and stakeholders will be captured and used to inform policies and proposals in the Plan.  TNP will be used to help develop stronger links between the Parish Council, Shropshire Council, landowners and developers and will promote opportunities for local residents and stakeholders to engage in detailed planning proposals for major development as and when they come forward.

• Community ownership and stewardship

By engaging local people more effectively in local planning decisions, TNP will promote a greater sense of community ownership and stewardship of new community assets provided as part of the Garden Village and any other new developments in the future. 

• Integrated and accessible transport systems, with walking, cycling and public transport designed to be the most attractive forms of local transport

TNP has a strong focus on improving the existing PROW network and helping to ensure all residents and stakeholders can use walking and cycling both as a form of exercise and as a means of sustainable, low carbon transport.  There is a need to successfully integrate the Garden Village with existing communities in a well-designed and appropriate way.

• Enhance the natural environment: net biodiversity gain, zero carbon initiatives

TNP will place a strong emphasis on enhancing the natural environment.  A robust and sustainable Green Infrastructure network will link local habitats and provide opportunities for wildlife to move across the area.  Landscaping will use locally appropriate species in planting schemes and link to mature hedgerows, groups of trees and water courses.  Improved walking and cycling networks will encourage zero carbon travel choices. 

• Combine the best of town and country to create healthy communities 

TNP will include policies and proposals which promote healthy lifestyles through good access to an attractive and well-maintained walking and cycling network, linking residential areas to open spaces, the countryside and local facilities. Planting and landscaping schemes will provide shelter and shade for both people and wildlife. They will also provide opportunities for everyone to enjoy the beautiful landscape setting of rural Shropshire. Investment in Green Infrastructure will provide allotments and opportunities for food growing, sports and recreation on the doorstep and local sources of green energy.

• Strong recreational facilities in sociable neighbourhoods 

The need for investment in existing community facilities is recognised in TNP and policies and proposals support investment in the existing village hall followed by provision of a new hall as part of the Tasley Garden Village proposal.  The improved walking and cycling network will encourage social interaction and informal recreation.

• Mixed house type and tenure

TNP will include a policy on house types based on preferences of local residents and stakeholders which were identified in informal consultations for TNP.

• Wide range of local jobs 

The construction of the Garden Village will encourage provision of local jobs, and the areas of employment related development will provide new accommodation for business growth.  By ensuring safe and accessible connectivity to existing residential areas of Tasley, local people should benefit from the significant investment on their doorstep.   TNP will include a policy on employment development which has been prepared in response to suggestions from local residents and stakeholders in informal consultations.

5. Our vision has been developed through stakeholder workshops and community consultation.  There was a split in the responses to the Draft Vision in the 2024 community survey with a slight minority (49% of respondents) supporting it and 51% not supporting it.  However, this seemed to reflect local concerns about the Tasley Garden Village proposals with consultees being unclear about the distinction between the Local Plan Site Allocation and TNP.

6. These concerns were set out in the many detailed comments and included issues around loss of countryside and farmland, problems of flooding and traffic and unacceptable impacts on local services, facilities and infrastructure arising from a larger residential population.  There were also concerns about density and design in development.  Where they cannot be addressed in TNP, the comments and ideas from local people will be used to inform the Parish Council’s responses to future planning consultations related to the Garden Village and to other planning proposals in the area as they should be addressed strategically.  Some of the comments have informed the Community Aspirations and Parish Council Actions set out in Appendix 1. 

7. The Draft Vision has been amended where appropriate in response to the comments made.  This Vision will be delivered through the policies and proposals contained in the Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish Council is committed to remaining engaged with Shropshire Council in consultations related to the Tasley Garden Village proposal to help ensure the best outcomes for existing residents in the area. 

8. Flowing from this vision, and reflecting our evidence base, we have developed the following objectives for our Neighbourhood Plan: 

• Overall Objective 1: To ensure that development in our area maximises benefits for and minimises impacts upon existing and future residents and landowners, businesses and communities, and the environment.

This will be delivered through all TNP policies and the Community Aspirations and Parish Council Actions set out in Appendix 1.

• Objective 2: To ensure good links within the parish and with adjoining communities through provision of new and improved pedestrian, cycle and public transport links.

This will be delivered through TNP Policies TNP1 and TNP3.

• Objective 3: To protect and enhance the openness and rural character of the area in terms of green space protection, access to countryside, and rural setting. 

This will be delivered through TNP Policies TNP1, TNP2 and TNP3.

• Objective 4: To protect and enhance the heritage assets.

This will be delivered through the identification of candidate Non-designated Heritage Assets.

• Objective 5: To protect and enhance the local character of our village and surrounding countryside.

This will be delivered through Policy TNP4 and design codes.

• Objective 6: To provide facilities, services and opportunities that promote health and wellbeing to enable local people to thrive and our communities to flourish.

This will be delivered through Policies  TNP1, TNP2, TNP3, TNP5, TNP6, TNP7 and TNP9.

• Objective 7: To ensure that housing developments in our area take account of local needs in terms of dwelling mix and affordability across all groups.

This will be delivered through Policy TNP8.

• Objective 8: To encourage standards of sustainable design that are above the minimum requirements to minimise impacts on the environment.

This will be delivered through Policy TNP4 and design codes.

• Objective 9: To avoid over-intensification of housing and other built development in what is essentially a rural parish.

This will be delivered through TNP Policies TNP1, TNP2, TNP3, TNP4 and design codes.

9. In preparing this Plan, we have had to channel these multiple and diverse objectives into a manageable but meaningful suite of planning policies that can help to protect what our local communities wish to protect and provide what our local communities wish to be provided with, economically, environmentally and socially. 

10. The three pillars of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) are not independent of one other but interact, meaning that a policy intended to support the economy inevitably impacts upon environmental and social factors, and vice versa. As a result, our policies are not organised around these pillars, but under the following headings:

• Accessibility

• Natural Environment and Open Spaces

• Heritage

• Local Character and High-Quality Design

• Local Facilities and Community Energy

• New Housing and Employment.