Rather than merely responding to the plans of others for our parish as it develops within the Borough of Telford & Wrekin in the coming decade, we want to take the lead in guiding our own development.
We want to preserve what we believe to be really important and valuable about our parish and community.
We want to build on the things we feel are right and correct the things we think are wrong in our parish and community to make a better life for everyone - today and tomorrow.
This Plan is our community's expression of the way we want our parish to develop in the most sustainable way possible.
It provides a solid framework for our future development, allowing us to promote those things we want while resisting those we don't.
Making it happen, however, depends upon everyone playing their part, translating the Plan's guidelines into firm and sustained action towards our overall vision of:
The highest possible quality of life for all our residents within a thriving modern village community and a diverse, tranquil and sustainable rural environment.
Introduction: What our Parish is like at the moment.
Parish Development: How we'd like to see our Parish develop.
Housing & Building: How we'd like to see our buildings and settlements develop.
Countryside & Environment: How we'd like to see our countryside and environment develop.
Community & Services: How we'd like to see our community and its facilities and services develop.
Action Plan: A summary of the main actions through which we'll deliver our development.
The Little Wenlock Parish Plan (LWPP) is the local community's expression of how it wishes to see the parish develop within the framework of local planning policies and community strategies.
The Plan defines the state of the parish and its development in 2002; summarises existing land use and facilities; and highlights features of special architectural, historical, environmental and social value.
It sets out an agreed community vision for the future of the parish within the region, and establishes clear guidelines for the development of its housing and buildings, countryside and environment, and community and services within the Borough of Telford & Wrekin.
The Plan has three primary objectives:
The Plan has been produced against the background of a range of regional and local plans and community strategies to ensure it is as well integrated as possible with the planned development of Telford & Wrekin.
Of most direct relevance are the policies of the Wrekin Local Plan 1995-2006 and, in particular, those concerning the Rural Areas of the District.
Other key plans and strategies with which the LWPP has been designed to integrate include:
Running through to 2011, the LWPP is further intended to link-in with the developing Telford & Wrekin Local Development Framework 2006 - 2011 which will replace the current Local Plan.
The Plan is divided into five main sections:
The Parish Today, setting out its history, situation and setting; and identifying its present communities, land use, facilities, and features of special value.
Parish Development, summarising the local context and the challenges this poses; setting out the priorities identified through community consultations; and defining the parish's overall vision and key development principles.
Housing & Building, detailing local housing priorities and establishing guidelines governing new housing, conversions and extensions, non-residential developments, energy conservation and other aspects of the built-environment within the main settlements.
Countryside & Environment, detailing local land use priorities; and establishing guidelines governing farming, woodland, mineral, waste and other developments in the open land between the main settlements, together with public access, wildlife conservation, habitat protection and other important aspects of the rural environment.
Community & Services, detailing local community facility and service priorities; and establishing guidelines to define and support appropriate developments, together with local initiatives such as recycling, crime prevention and community care.
The Plan has been prepared by Little Wenlock Parish Council through an extensive consultation process.
This has included a detailed residents' survey and meetings with representative groups of the main sections of the population and important community groups.
A draft document was presented to the community at a major consultation event after which copies were made available to all residents on request and their feedback incorporated into the final Plan. Copies were also distributed for comment to other interested parties (including Telford & Wrekin Council, businesses in the parish, the local MP and adjacent parish councils) before being formally adopted by Little Wenlock Parish Council on March 10, 2003.
Action plans will be produced by the Parish Council each year as the basis for initiatives arising out of the plan's guidelines to be developed and implemented by the entire community.
It is intended that the Plan will be reviewed on a regular basis and completely up-dated on a 10-year cycle.