Harston Neighbourhood Plan REFERENDUM 4th September 2025
It’s time for you to vote on your Neighbourhood Plan – the final stage of the Neighbourhood Plan process
Thurs 4th Sept 2025 Harston Village Hall 7am – 10pm
When you vote, you will be asked the following question:
Do you want South Cambridgeshire District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Harston to help decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
You can vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
If a majority of people vote ‘yes’, the Plan will come into force.
This would mean in the future any planning decisions within our Parish will be made in accordance with policies in the Plan.
The Plan will help to shape the future development and use of land in our village.
Who can vote?
The referendum will be organised and paid for by S Cambs who will send out voting cards.
You will be able to vote if you are registered and entitled to vote in local council elections; ie live in village and over 18.
If not already registered to vote, you can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. If you are unable to attend the polling station to vote in person, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy at:
https://www.scambs.gov.uk/elections/voting-by-post-or-proxy
Examiner’s report on Harston’s Neighbourhood Plan June 2025
The final examiner’s report on Harston Neighbourhood Plan checking that it met the basic conditions can be seen here https://www.scambs.gov.uk/media/t5npl4l3/2_har-np_examiners-report.pdf
The examiner felt the Plan sets out a positive vision for the future of the neighbourhood area. There is a very clear focus on safeguarding local character and ensuring that the Green Belt is respected. It identifies sites for residential development and proposes a package of local green spaces.
The Plan meets all the basic conditions:
- Fits in with national policies and even seeks to add value to the different components of the (S Cambs) development plan.
- the Plan promoted an inclusive, thorough and detailed approach to seeking the opinions of all concerned throughout the process
- The Plan seeks to bring forward positive and sustainable development in the neighbourhood area.
- The environmental assessments provide assurance to all concerned that the submitted Plan takes appropriate account of important ecological and biodiversity matters
Most of examiner’s recommended minor modifications related to matters of clarity and precision, designed to ensure that the Plan fully accords with national policy.
The Neighbourhood Plan has been amended in accordance with the examiners comments, making it ready to be voted on by Harston residents. The referendum version of the NP can be seen here – https://www.scambs.gov.uk/media/gu0blbb5/1_harston-np_-referendum-version.pdf
All relevant information can also be found on S Cambs Neighbourhood Plan website: www.scambs.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/local-plan-and-neighbourhood-planning/harston-neighbourhood-plan
Harston Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Submission Consultation 9 Jan – 20 Feb 2025
What is the Harston Neighbourhood Plan consultation?
Members of the public are being invited to comment on a new Neighbourhood Plan for the Harston area of South Cambridgeshire, to help shape future development there and ensure the local environment, homes, facilities and community assets are protected and enhanced in years to come.
A Neighbourhood Plan is a way for communities to take a proactive approach to deciding the future of the places where they live and work. Once ‘made’ (adopted) a Neighbourhood Plan has the same legal status as the district wide Local Plan, and alongside the Local Plan will be used in deciding planning applications that fall within its area.
The Harston Neighbourhood Plan sets out a range of planning policies which cover many issues that are considered important to the local community. The consultation is an opportunity for the public to comment before the Plan is examined by an Independent Planning Examiner. The Examiner’s role is to test the Neighbourhood Plan against the basic conditions that are set out in national regulations. The Plan will then need to be passed by a referendum before being adopted.
You can find out more information about the Harston Neighbourhood Plan consultation on the South Cambridgeshire website: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-and-neighbourhood-planning/harston-neighbourhood-plan/
When is the consultation?
South Cambridgeshire District Council will be running the consultation that begins at 9am on Thursday 9 January 2025 and will run until 5pm on Thursday 20 February 2025.
How can members of the public view paper copies?
We will provide 2x copies of the following documents with the Customer Service desk at South Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne, and members of the public can view the documents by appointment only.
- Submission version of the Harston Neighbourhood Plan
- Harston Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Statement
- Harston Neighbourhood Plan Basic Conditions Statement
- Harston Neighbourhood Plan SEA/HRA Screening Determination Statement
There will also be 4x copies of the suite of documents available at Harston Village Hall, during the consultation period. The documents will be available to view in the Small Committee Room, when the hall or large committee room are booked for activities. These times can be found on the Harston Village Hall calendar link https://www.harstonvillagehall.org.uk/calendar.htm. Appointments to view the documents outside of the Village Hall opening hours can be made by emailing clerk@harstonparishcouncil.gov.uk.
How can members of the public comment on the consultation?
Comments can be submitted to South Cambridgeshire between 9am on Thursday 9 January and 5pm on Thursday 20 February 2025. Please comment using our online consultation system: https://consultations.greatercambridgeplanning.org
However, if you are unable to comment online, please email us at: neighbourhood.planning@greatercambridgeplanning.org
Or write to us at: Planning Policy Team, South Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6EA
Harston Draft Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 14 consultation 22nd April – 11th June
Harston’s Draft Neighbourhood Plan has been produced based on comments and feedback made during earlier consultation events. See https://tinyurl.com/DraftharstonNP for more information on the NHP Draft.
Consultation on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan (NP) closed on 11th June with 110 local survey responses and 11 from statutory bodies. 78% of responses were from people age 40-79 and a further 15% from over 80s, with only 6% from 18-39s. 88% of responses agreed or strongly agreed with supporting the draft NP in general; only 5% disagreeing in general; some didn’t give an opinion. Most policy statements received between 84-97 % agreement in support.
Response comments have been collated and are now being checked carefully by the NP Working Group to discuss actions and see what changes to the NP might be necessary.
The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
The Draft Harston Neighbourhood Plan is being subject to a strategic environmental assessment (often referred to as SEA). An SEA is required for some types of planning policy documents. It is a tool used at the plan-making stage to assess the likely effects of a plan on the environment when judged against reasonable alternatives.
As part of the SEA process, an environmental report has been prepared. Prior to this, the SEA scoping report was prepared. One of the purposes of the SEA scoping report is to agree a methodology in undertaking the environmental assessment. The views of Natural England, Historic England and the Environment Agency were sought following the drafting of the SEA scoping report. Their views are now being sort on the Strategic Environmental Assessment produced in July. The Scoping report and SEA can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/DraftharstonNP
As part of the consultation on the NP you are also invited to give us your feedback on the SEA by writing to the parish clerk by September 3rd by email: clerk@harstonparishcouncil.gov.uk
Or to parish clerk at: 6 Hornet Rd, Trumpington, CB2 9GH
