Key Themes for Langham s Neighbourhood Plan

Transcription

1 2014 Key Themes for Langham s Neighbourhood Plan

2 What is a Neighbourhood Plan? The concept of a Neighbourhood Plan was introduced via the Localism Act of It gives communities the right to shape the development of their areas. ( We in Langham have decided that we want to benefit from this right and so, with the help of the entire community, we are creating the Langham Neighbourhood Plan. Whilst the plan will be right for Langham, it must also comply with Rutland County Council s Core Strategy, and with the National Planning Framework ( For the final plan to be accepted, we need to show that everyone in the community has been given the chance to have their say through questionnaires, public meetings, consultations and the like. You can help to shape the Parish - be involved! Once the plan is complete, it will go to referendum where everyone in Langham Parish will be asked whether they wish to accept the plan a yes/no vote. Thereafter the Langham Neighbourhood Plan will be used to inform the development of Langham Parish over the next 12 years Model of Langham Created by children of Langham CE Primary School NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

3 Education of the Young Langham C of E Primary School is a cornerstone of Langham, with some 200 pupils ranging from 5 to 11. It is within the top 200 primary schools and is rated by Ofsted as Outstanding. ( Also provided at the school are Nursery care, Breakfast Club, Pre-school sessions and after-school clubs. (Langham CE Primary School website) It has a hall used for all varieties of PE and games, a well stocked library, ICT suite (as well as banks of laptops and tablets that go into the classrooms), several withdrawal areas and a new food technology room. Development for All For all ages there are numerous activities available throughout the year at the pubs, the village hall, the school and the churches ranging from Bridge Club to quiz nights, from film evenings to concerts, from yoga to family fêtes and treasure hunts. EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT

4 Biodiversity & Landscape Our landscape character is defined as: Langham is in the Vale of Catmose, with a typical landscape of meaows and fields gently rising to the north. Little tree cover and a mix of arable and pasture and small streams. Priority species and habitats for Langham include: Barn owls, water voles, bats, woodland, fast flowing streams, canals, field ponds, field margins, hedgerows, parkland, agricultural grassland. (Rutland Landscape Character Assessment, 2003) (Leic & Rutland Wildlife Trust, Biodiversity Action Plan 2013) Water & Climate Change Langham sits within Flood Risk Zones 2 and 3, with the Langham Brook often flooding. The stream is an important local natural resource and the canal provides habitat for fish and wild fowl. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

5 Built Heritage & Settlement Pattern Settlement layout: The core of the village (area 1) has houses and buildings dating back to medieval times. The character of this area includes stone properties with thatched roofs. Areas 2, 3 and 4 are later expansions. There are 40 listed buildings within the parish. (Langham Village Design Statement) Cultural Assets The village comprises around 1300 people, some are descendants of long-established families and some newcomers. (Langham village website) The local cultural assets include a village hall, two churches, two pubs and a number of listed buildings. Langham has a rich and varied history which has been extensively researched and catalogued by Langham s Village History Group ( A walk around Langham in Rutland by Langham Village History Group) CULTURAL HERITAGE

6 Community Langham has an active community with a wide range of events and clubs running each month. The playground, allotments and community woodland area situated on the edge of the village and the churches run regular activities for children. There is also a Polo Club, Cricket Club and Bowling Club. Economy Langham boasts a range of businesses within the parish from farming to precision engineering. The Mickley business units support several small enterprises whilst the village itself boasts a number of small businesses. The Parish also benefits from two pubs and a part-time Post Office. COMMUNITY & ECONOMY

7 Transport & Digital Connectivity Driving, Public Transport, Walking & Cycling The A606 connects Langham to the main transport network. The village is close to Oakham railway station and people commute from the village to nearby cities and the capital for work. There is a regular bus service to Oakham and beyond and the village is part of the Rutland Heritage Trail. Cycle routes are easily accessible from the village. There are several public footpaths around the village which are used regularly by walkers. Broadband connectivity Previously Langham was served by ADSL 2+ which gave up to 7Mbps. Since March 2014 it has been increased to 40Mbps thanks to fibre optic connection updates. (BT Wholesale website, 2014) Resources: Waste, Energy, Water In Langham we produce 1371 tonnes of waste each year. We recycle 840 tonnes of this! We use 5600 litres of water per person each year, that s 7.3million litres per year for all of Langham Parish! Each household in the Parish uses Kwh of energy - that s 12,969 MW over a year! ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

8 Housing & Land use In Rutland, there is a requirement for 3,000 homes between now and Langham is designated a Smaller Service Centre and as such is not allocated to provide sites to achieve this. Planning proposals for housing have to meet sustainability criteria. Development of land in the Rutland countryside will be limited to rural activities (forestry, sport, agriculture, horticulture, utilities, visitor facilities, recreation, renewable energy). Proposals must meet sustainability criteria and not affect local character or distinctiveness. (Rutland County Council Site Allocations DPD 2012) Developing Sustainably What is sustainable development? Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. What does it mean for Langham? Making sure that we can meet the needs of each generation within our society, now and in the future (e.g jobs, housing, recreation, essential services, quality of environment, well-being, and access to services), whilst limiting our consumption of scarce resources locally and globally. Protecting and enhancing the distinctiveness of our built and natural environment which makes Langham a special place to live, visit & work. HOUSING & RENEWAL