At its meeting on 11 September, Reepham Town Council debated formulating a neighbourhood plan following a presentation from the senior community planning officer of Broadland District Council.

A neighbourhood plan would give the community direct power to develop a shared vision for the neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of the local area.

The community would be able to decide where it wants new homes, shops and offices to be built, have a say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided.

However, any neighbourhood plan should support other policies already in place, such as the Local Plan or spatial development strategy formulated by the district council or the government.

Although the town council remains unconvinced about the benefit of a neighbourhood plan for Reepham, councillors agreed to hold consultations with members of the community.

The council plans to hold a public meeting early next year to establish the level of interest in producing a neighbourhood plan and, more importantly, the level of commitment from members of the community in producing the necessary evidence required to meet the demands of the process.

Bearing in mind that the whole process of creating a neighbourhood plan is likely to take at least two years to obtaining approval, there will need to be ongoing discussion both within and outside the town council before anybody will be in a position to start preparing a plan.

The town council recommends that anybody interested in a neighbourhood plan should consult the government’s guidance on neighbourhood planning HERE.

It may also be helpful to look at adopted plans from other local councils, such as Aylsham and Acle, whose neighbourhood plans have been published on their respective websites.

The town council would appreciate expressions of interest from anybody who would like to become involved in helping to produce a neighbourhood plan, especially from those who have experience in local government and planning processes, so that an assessment of the level of interest in the community can be established.

If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact the town clerk by email or by letter at Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham NR10 4JW, or contact any of our councillors.

Car parking

Following the recent decision by Broadland District Council and South Norfolk District Council to combine many of their functions, Broadland District Council has prepared a proposal to charge for parking in their off-road car parks.

The town council had not been made aware of the proposal until a last-minute intervention by District Councillor Stuart Beadle enabled us to make our representations to the district council.

Off-road parking in Reepham is complicated by the fact that the Station Road car park is owned by Broadland District Council and the Market Place is owned by the town council.

Until recently the trustees of Stimpson’s Piece had been in discussion with the district council to offer the use of the car park at the town’s recreation ground to provide additional long-stay parking in the town.

Inevitably, any decision to charge for parking at Station Road car park will directly affect those living in the town centre as well as those working in the town, and will impact on parking in the Market Place and probably result in increased on-road parking in the vicinity.

We have requested that there should be public consultation before any decision on changes to Broadland’s policy on free parking in town centres is changed. If you believe you will be affected by the imposition of parking charges please contact the town clerk.

The Pound

You may have noticed that the railings around the “Pound” at the entrance to the church in the Market Place have disappeared and the low wall supporting them is being restored. Over the years the railings have deteriorated with age and are being refurbished or replaced as necessary.

Future events

• Wednesday 9 October: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting
• Wednesday 6 November: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
• Wednesday 13 November: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

All meetings are held in Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

Local residents, businesses, organisations and members of the general public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email