West St Leonards Neighbourhood Area and Forum Consultation

This consultation closed on 23 February 2023.

A local community group within the West St Leonards area has applied to establish a Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Area for the West St Leonards ward and parts of the adjoining Maze Hill and Central St Leonards wards.

What is being proposed?

The community group has submitted two applications to the council for the area shown on the Proposed Neighbourhood Area boundary map. One application seeks to designate a Neighbourhood Forum and the other to designate the area as a Neighbourhood Area.

If they are approved, the Neighbourhood Forum will be able to create a Neighbourhood Development Plan for the area.

How can you get involved?

The consultation runs until 11.59pm on Thursday 23 February 2023.

You can view the proposed West St Leonards Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Area documents below.

• Application for Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Area
• Proposed Neighbourhood Area boundary map
• Proposed Forum Membership postcode map
• Notice of consultation

Comments could be submitted to us using the online consultation form.

Paper comment forms and copies of the application details and map were available at the Community Contact Centre, Hastings Library and Hollington Library during the consultation period.

What is Neighbourhood planning?

Neighbourhood planning gives local people who live, work, or elected representatives in an area the right to create a Neighbourhood Development Plan, setting out a vision for future development in the area.

Further information on Neighbourhood Planning in Hastings can be found on our website.

What is a Neighbourhood Forum?

A Neighbourhood Forum is an organisation authorised by the Local Planning Authority to lead the neighbourhood planning process when there is no town or parish council. A group or organisation must apply to the Local Planning Authority to be officially recognised as a Neighbourhood Forum. This is what we are now consulting on.

If an application to create a Neighbourhood Forum is successful and the forum is officially recognised, no other organisation can create a Neighbourhood Development Plan for the same area.

Members of a Forum must meet the conditions set out in Section 61F(5) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This includes outlining the purpose of the Forum, that as a minimum, there are 21 individuals in the Forum; and that steps have been taken to have members from different places within the Neighbourhood Area and from different sections of the community in that area.

What is a Neighbourhood Area?

A Neighbourhood Area is an area recognised by the Local Planning Authority within which Neighbourhood Plan policies apply.

The boundaries of a Neighbourhood Area could be physical boundaries like a road or river, or a catchment area for the local shops. An application must be made to officially recognise the Neighbourhood Plan Area, this is what we are now consulting on.

What is a Neighbourhood Development Plan?

A Neighbourhood Development Plan does not mean development will happen - that depends on landowners and developers. However, once a Neighbourhood Development Plan passes independent examination and referendum, it sits alongside other planning policy like the Local Plan to guide development and help decide the outcome of planning applications in the area.

Need help?

If you have a question about the consultation or would like to request large print copies of the documents, please email the Planning Policy team at NeighbourhoodPlanning@hastings.gov.uk.

How we process your information

Hastings Borough Council will process the information you provide in a manner compatible with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), 2018. Please be aware that comments received by the authority will be made publicly available although no personal details will be published. View a copy of the council's Planning Policy Privacy Notice.