At the NT/CDC Policy EN18 briefing meeting held at the Social Club (18 March 2024), the National Trust committed to convene regular Estate Development Plan community consultation meetings.
Earlier this week, the Parish Council wrote the National Trust asking for a progress update. A copy of the email is below, and the proposed terms of reference attached.
Replies will be posted as soon as they are received.
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From: Tom Whiffen <tom@sherborneparish.org>
Sent: 22 January 2025 17:43
To: andrew.danson@nationaltrust.org.uk
Cc: juliet.layton@cotswold.gov.uk; stephen@sherborneparish.org; yvonne@sherborneparish.org; ed@sherborneparish.org; hannah@sherborneparish.org; Jonny.Loose@nationaltrust.org.uk; matthew.britton@cotswold.gov.uk; Local.Plan@cotswold.gov.uk
Subject: RE: CDC Local Plan Policy EN18 Feedback – Sherborne Parish Council 7 April 2024
Hi Andrew,
Hope you are well.
At the Local Plan Update meeting on 18th March 2024, representatives from Sherborne and neighbouring parishes were presented with an overview of Cotswold District Council’s (CDC) Local Plan, including proposed policy EN-18, and the National Trust’s (NT) “Big Nature Better Access” project. At this meeting, both the NT and CDC agreed to establish regular, formal community consultations to guide the development of the Policy and associated NT plans (meeting notes here).
A key requirement of the Policy’s development is to:
“Describe how the local community and relevant stakeholders have influenced the masterplan and how they can continue to be involved in shaping the Estate.”
To this end, two Working Groups were agreed upon at this meeting:
- One for EN-18 (CDC).
- Another for direct consultation between the local community and the NT on the “Big Nature Better Access” plan.
This decision was warmly welcomed by the community, which expressed enthusiasm about being actively involved in discussions and decision making concerning the Sherborne Estate’s future management, and the impact it is likely to have in and around Sherborne.
Unfortunately, there appears to have been no progress towards the Working Groups since the meeting last March. The NT committed to several next steps, including:
- Circulating Terms of Reference for the Masterplan Working Group.
- Confirming the date for the first Working Group meeting.
- Sharing the Conservation Management Plan “as soon as possible”.
None of these actions have been completed to date, although it is clear that planning for the “Big Nature Better Access” project continues.
To help move things forward, I attach the draft Terms of Reference for your review. We are confident that these provide a clear structure for the community consultation process via the Working Group and see no reason for further delay.
We would like to hold the first meeting as soon as possible this quarter and look forward to your feedback.
Additionally, we will have some proposals for an independent chair, which can be shared once the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Many thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Tom