Bollington has previously published four Town/Neighbourhood Plans, in 2004, 2008 (right), 2012 and 2018. These were used to inform Bollington Town Council and Macclesfield Borough Council, later Cheshire East Council. The first three carried no statutory powers, but changes to planning law strengthened the process so that the 2018 and 2024 plans did/do carry statutory powers – see below – and have to be properly considered by CEC Planning when considering development proposals.
The Neighbourhood Plan, developed by volunteers through 2014-17, which became the 2018 plan, was prepared under the government’s scheme for communities to develop a plan, particularly for land use and housing, but for other aspects too, and was adopted by the local borough council, Cheshire East Council (CEC) in Bollington’s case, to be a statutorily enforceable plan for the period to 2030.
The process included the following key points:
- Establish a group of residents, independent of Bollington Town Council, but which may include members of that council;
- Develop, publish and distribute to every household a questionnaire designed to establish the public’s views on the future for the town;
- Having been informed by the results of the questionnaire, to develop the Bollington Neighbourhood Plan;
- Publish and distribute the plan to every household;
- Hold a referendum of the community on the acceptance or otherwise of the Bollington Neighbourhood Plan.
The public includes everyone aged 16 or over living within the Bollington parish. All will be asked to complete the questionnaire and later to vote on acceptance of the Bollington Neighbourhood Plan.
Once the plan was submitted to CEC for inspection and checked for compliance, it was submitted to the community in a referendum and accepted by a simple majority vote. It then became part of the Cheshire East statutory plan which must thereafter be considered for all relevant decisions made by the borough council’s officers and the planning committee.
2024 Plan Update
Throughout 2023 and early 2024 a team of volunteers headed by Professor Michael Burdekin CBE have reviewed and revised every aspect of the 2018 plan. The main changes related to development planning, taking into consideration public expectations regarding environmental and energy requirements. The update was presented to the community at the Civic Hall on Saturday 6th July 2024.