In January 2024 Hatfield Broad Oak Parish Council decided to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan.

Discovery

We started the process by asking our Villagers to tell us their opinions and priorities.

In March 2022 the Rural Council Community for Essex (RCCE) undertook a Housing Needs Survey in the Village. Their report was published in August 2022.

In June 2024 the RCCE undertook a Community Survey in the by distributing a questionaire to all of the Housholds in the Village.

An Employers Survey was undertaken in the Spring of 2025.

Creating The Plan

We are using the results of our surveys as the basis for our Neighbourhood Plan.

In September 2024 AECOM were commissioned to provide a Design Guidance and Codes report for the Village. The document was delivered in March 2025.

Following the Footpath Survey by Villagers a report of the findings was published on the 21st July 2024.

In August 2024 the Community Survey was published.

Reporting Our Progress

We have held Public Engagements and published minutes of our meetings and reports of our progress.

There have been two Public Engagements so far:

In November 2024 the Steering Committee arranged a public meeting in Hatfield Broad Oak Village Hall to update the residents on progress with the plan.

Every spring bank holiday there is a flower festival in the grounds of St Mary’s church and at this year’s event the Steering Committee held an exhibition during the weekend.

The Neighbourhood Plan is being produced by a Working Group and a Steering group. Both groups hold regular meetings and minutes of the meetings, and the groups reports to the Parish Council are available below.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan

A neighbourhood plan is a community-led framework that provides guidance for future development, regeneration, and conservation within a specific area. It’s essentially a community’s vision for its local area, influencing decisions about where new homes, businesses, and other infrastructure should be built, and how the area should evolve.

Community-led: Neighbourhood plans are created by local communities, rather than solely by the Local Planning Authority.

Vision and Aims: They articulate a shared vision for the neighbourhood and set out the goals for development and improvement.

Planning Policies: They include policies that guide the use and development of land within the area, including where new homes, shops, and offices should be located, and how they should be designed.

Site Allocations: Neighbourhood plans may also identify specific sites for particular types of development, like housing or commercial projects.

Legally Binding: If they meet specific conditions, neighbourhood plans can become legally binding, meaning they are considered when planning applications are assessed.