Planning

Village Design Statement

The Village Design Statement (VDS) aims to describe the village as it is today and how we would like it to develop. This can then be used to guide planning and development.

A Working Party has been set up, led by Charlie Birtles, to refresh the VDS for 2023 and beyond.

The current VDS was adopted by the Test Valley Borough Council as supplementary planning guidance so TVBC take it into account when considering planning and listed building applications.

Every household was issued with a paper copy of the final version. If you move away from the village please give yours to the new occupants of your house. People often decide to change their house soon after moving to the village so we try to give one to people who move to the village as well. Please read the VDS if you are thinking of altering your home.

Local Planning Applications

Details of applications including plans and background papers are in the planning area of the TVBC website.

TVBC Core Strategy - Consultation and Parish Council Response

Revised Local Plan 2016 see here

Previous Plan

In the January 2012 edition of Hill & Valley the Parish Council reported that TVBC had published its draft Core Strategy & Development Management Plan Document [DPD] and its draft Designations DPD for public consultation, which are available to see in the Planning area of the TVBC website and at the Council offices. The public consultation on both documents started on 6 January and ran Friday 17 February 2012.

The documents set out the vision and strategy for the Borough until 2031, the proposed locations for development; and include policies which will be used to determine planning applications. The Designation DPD contains settlement boundaries, local gap boundaries and other designations that have been used to inform the Core Strategy.

TVBC considers that village settlement boundaries are required to delineate the areas where the principle of development is acceptable and has sought to take a consistent approach (no mean task), tailoring it to the specific character of individual villages [The villages within Test Valley have a variance of character, linked with the history of the settlement. Some can be linear in nature, e.g. Longparish, others are clustered around a centre, e.g. Shipton Bellinger, some have small distinct cluster, e.g. Braishfield and others have a mixture of these, e.g. Kings Sombourne].

They have taken care to draft the settlement boundaries using identifiable features on the ground, such as buildings and curtilages, with the aim of ensuring that the policy boundaries reflect the extent of the area which forms part of the settlement. However, this has resulted in some buildings or areas not being included within the boundaries - and examples include dwellings or farm buildings in large grounds, or the periphery of villages, which relate more to countryside development rather than forming the settlement.

TVBC also considers that the following village uses should be considered as part of the settlement - churchyards; car parks; schools and playing fields; employment sites; full curtilage of dwellings; public open space [including recreation grounds and allotments]; and farm complexes within/adjoining settlements. However, in doing this it is recognised that a number of village uses which make up the settlement are included within the boundaries; and that these may be desirable to retain in order to provide services and facilities for the local population. The Longparish map should therefore be read in conjunction with and alongside the Development Management policies of the Core Strategy. These include community services and facilities; the protection and enhancement of the built environment; public open space and employment.

At a public meeting on 2 February 2012 Graham Smith of TVBC explained the background and answered questions from members of the public and the Parish Council Planning Committee. Members of the public were then invited to give their views. The Planning Committee then discussed the matter and recommended comments to the whole Council. These were discussed at the Council meeting on 13 February and the Council's response to TVBC is attached.

Planning Process

If you want to alter or extend your property, including outbuildings and fences, you may well need planning permission from the Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC), especially if you live in the Conservation Area.

Test Valley have published the document Longparish Conservation Area - Character Appraisal which you can find on their site. If your house is a listed building you will need listed building consent as well. If you have a project in mind it is worth talking with the TVBC Planning Department. You can call at their offices at Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover, phone them on 01264 368000 or email planning@testvalley.gov.uk. It is also worth looking at the Village Design Statement to see whether what you propose will fit with the design ideas there and discussing your proposal with your neighbours.

TVBC always asks the Parish Council for its views on planning applications and takes them into account. TVBC sends a copy of planning applications for properties in Longparish to the Parish Clerk. It also arranges for yellow notices to be displayed at the site concerned and lists details of the application on their website. You can also see applications by calling at the TVBC Planning Office or asking the Parish Clerk but if the applicant is a neighbour the simplest way is probably just to ask him or her.

TVBC invites comments before a closing date, which is usually four weeks after the details of the application are published. The Parish Council will consider the application at the next Parish Council meeting if it is before the closing date. If the next meeting is too late the Parish Clerk will arrange a meeting of the Planning Committee. Details of the meetings are published on the parish notice boards at the shop and in Forton. Or you can just ask the clerk or a parish councillor when the Parish Council is going to consider a particular application.

If you are an applicant you may find that councillors ask to visit you to see the site and discuss what you propose. There is no obligation to do this but it does help the council to understand your application.

The Parish Council or the Planning Committee meets in public. You are welcome to attend if you wish and may be invited to speak at the discretion of the Chairman. The Parish Council finds it very helpful to hear comments from the applicant and anyone else who is interested.

If the proposal is minor or uncontroversial the TVBC officers will deal with it under delegated powers. But if it is a more major proposal or there are objections, it is likely to be referred to the TVBC Northern Area Planning Committee to decide. The committee meets monthly. The TVBC Planning Department publishes details of the officers’ recommendations a few days before each meeting. You can ask the TVBC Planning Department when a particular application will be decided and there is a public participation scheme under which the applicant, objectors and the Parish Council can speak briefly at the meeting to explain their views. For details ask the TVBC Planning Department.

Conservation Area

Parts of the Parish have been designated a Conservation Area. See the Character Appraisal on the Test Valley website: Longparish Character Appraisal