Purpose

The
purpose of this report is to set out the results of the referendum
on the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan and make a
recommendation to Council on whether the Neighbourhood Plan should
be formally made (adopted) by South Cambridgeshire District Council
(SCDC).

Content

That
the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development, having
consulted with the Lead Cabinet Member for Planning, recommends
that Council:

Notes
that the referendum for the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan
took place on 12 June 2025.
‘Makes’ (adopts) the Thriplow and Heathfield
Neighbourhood Plan (appendix 1 to this report) as a part of the
statutory “Development Plan” for South Cambridgeshire
following the successful referendum.

Reasons for the decision

Where a
Neighbourhood Plan is successful at its referendum, national
planning legislation requires that the Council ‘makes’
(adopts) the Neighbourhood Plan, unless the making of the
Neighbourhood Plan would breach or is otherwise incompatible with
EU or human rights obligations.
 
Officers have concluded that the Thriplow and Heathfield
Neighbourhood Plan would not breach or be otherwise incompatible
with EU or human rights obligations, as set out in the
Considerations section.

Alternative options considered

Where a Neighbourhood Plan is
successful at its referendum, SCDC has limited options in how to
respond. National planning legislation requires that the Council
‘makes’ (adopts) the Neighbourhood Plan, unless the
making of the Neighbourhood Plan would breach or is otherwise
incompatible with EU or human rights obligations.
 
Officers have concluded that
the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan would not breach or
be otherwise incompatible with EU or human rights obligations, as
set out in the Considerations section.