Voting and elections

The Boundary Commission for England today (8 November) published new revised proposals for constituencies across the country and has opened a final month-long consultation, giving the public a last opportunity to send in their views. 

The Commission has taken into consideration over 45,000 comments sent in by the public during the previous two stages of public consultation, and has changed nearly half of its initial proposals based on this feedback. 

A third and final consultation on the new map of revised constituency proposals is open now until 5 December. 

The public are invited to view and comment on the new map at www.bcereviews.org.uk/    

The Commission is undertaking an independent review of all constituencies in England as requested by Parliament. 

The number of electors within each constituency currently varies widely due to population changes since the last boundary review. 

The 2023 Boundary Review will rebalance the number of electors each MP represents, resulting in significant change to the existing constituency map. 

As part of the review, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543. 

After this final consultation has closed on 5 December, the Commission will analyse the responses and form its final recommendations. These will be submitted to Parliament by 1 July 2023. 

Tim Bowden, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said: "Today we are announcing the publication of our revised proposals. Last year we published our initial proposals for new constituency boundaries - our first go at what the map should look like. We are delighted with the huge number of comments from members of the public on our initial proposals, many which included valuable evidence about local communities. Today's publication is the culmination of months of analysis and we have revised nearly half of our initial proposals based on what people have told us. We now believe we are close to the best map of constituencies that can be achieved under the rules we are working to. However, we still want people to tell us what they think of this latest map before we submit our final recommendations to Parliament next year. This is our final consultation and I encourage you to participate in the 2023 Boundary Review." 

Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) is set to launch an exciting new project to help local schools support B-Lines and local bug corridors.

Working in partnership with Buglife, the 'Bee Together' project will be launched at Great Malvern Primary School this month, engaging with Reception pupils and the school's Eco-Council.

Buglife is the only organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates (species without a backbone) with the aim of halting their extinction by achieving sustainable populations.

MHDC is providing £2,500 in Destination Zero funding, which will be available for up to five schools in this first year of the Bee Together programme to help them do more to support insect life.

Each school will be able to access some funds to deliver bug hotels, well-bean beds and seed bombs helping develop greater understanding of these species amongst pupils.

The project will raise awareness of B-Lines, which are an imaginative solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators.

They are a series of 'insect pathways' running through the countryside and towns, along which Buglife are restoring and creating a series of wildflower-rich habitat steppingstones.

They link existing wildlife areas together, creating a network, that will weave across the British landscape. This will provide large areas of brand-new habitat benefiting bees and butterflies– but also a host of other wildlife.

The project fits in with the Destination Zero Plan, specifically priority seven which aims to use tree planting, pollinator sites, wetlands, wildflower meadows and other natural measures to capture and store carbon.

Kaitlyn Elverson, Community Engagement Officer for Buglife said: "We are delighted to be involved in this new programme promoting the importance of pollinators and other invertebrates in the Malvern area. We hope that Great Malvern Primary School is the first of many Malvern schools, organisations and communities wanting to get involved with B-Lines work. We've been working hard to promote our B-Lines projects across the UK and it's exciting to take the first steps to bolster our insect highways with new partners across Worcestershire."

Nikki Selby, Headteacher at Great Malvern Primary School, said: "I hope our involvement in Bee Together will help to show that when it comes to our bug life, even the smallest individual actions can make a difference.By helping to link our B-Lines together through green spaces in schools, our pupils are pleased to learn more about bees and bugs and to support insect-friendly corridors and safe spaces where pollinators can find food, shelter and rest."

Cllr Beverley Nielsen, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "As Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services, I am so pleased to be launching this new initiative. I am extremely passionate about helping schools and students to learn more about our local bug life and how we can all help. I want to thank Nikki Selby, Headteacher at Great Malvern Primary School, who has responded so positively to the Bee Together programme. As well as Katlyn Elverson, from Buglife, and Alastair Pounder, Biodiversity Officer at MHDC, for their support".

Visit www.buglife.org.uk/ for more information.

The South Worcestershire Councils are inviting comments on the provision of sites for Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

Worcester City, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils have prepared a Development Plan Document which includes information on the accommodation needs of Travellers and Travelling Showpeople across South Worcestershire.

The document includes policies which seek to ensure that future Traveller sites are appropriately located and designed.

The document proposes additional Traveller pitches on two existing Traveller sites at Newlands, Malvern and Charlton, Pershore and two existing sites at Aldington and Evesham are also allocated in case the latest planning permissions lapse.

To help meet the medium to longer term needs of Travellers or Travelling Showpeople, new sites are also proposed on the new and expanded settlements at Worcestershire Parkway, Throckmorton and Rushwick, together with a site on each of the urban extensions at Worcester South and Worcester West.

The six-week public consultation runs from 1 November until Tuesday 13 December 2022 at 11.59pm. The public and other interested parties are being asked to comment on whether they believe the Development Plan Document is sound and legally compliant.

For the Development Plan Document to be considered sound it must show that it will meet the identified need for Traveller sites, is based on robust evidence, is deliverable and is consistent with national planning policies. To be legally compliant, the document must have followed all necessary legal and procedural requirements.

The Development Plan Document has been informed by earlier public consultations held in 2016, 2018 and 2021. This is the last public consultation on the document before it is submitted to the Government's Planning Inspectorate for independent Examination in 2023.

Cllr David Harrison, Chairman of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Joint Advisory Panel, said: "Providing sufficient appropriately located and designed sites for Travellers and Travelling Showpeople is vitally important, so I would urge people to make their voices heard on this essential issue."

While all comments submitted during the consultation will be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration during the next stage of the document, the Government's Planning Inspector is only likely to consider comments that relate to the soundness and legal compliance of the document.

People can comment by visiting https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/consultations/south-worcestershire-traveller-and-travelling-showpeople-policy from Tuesday 1 November and downloading and filling in the comment form, by email or by post. Paper copies will also be available from Customer Contact Centres, local libraries and some parish and town council offices.

ENDS

The Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD is part of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR) process. The SWDPR, jointly prepared by the three South Worcestershire Councils – Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon – covers the period to 2041. The SWDPR addresses overall housing and employment requirements and includes detailed policies to determine planning applications.

The three South Worcestershire Councils have a responsibility to plan for the housing needs of all residents, including the Traveller and Travelling Showpeoplecommunity under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

The Government's national Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires the South Worcestershire Councils to identify a supply of deliverable Traveller sites to provide 5 years' worth of sites against locally set targets, and sufficient developable sites for up to 15 years.

The South Worcestershire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA, 2019) identified a need for 104 Traveller pitches in the period to 2041. Between March 2019 and August 2022, 49 Traveller pitches were granted planning permission across South Worcestershire, leaving an outstanding requirement for 55 pitches in the period to 2041. Additionally, the GTAA identified a need for 10 Travelling Showpeople plots in the period to 2041. 2 Showpeople plots have been granted planning consent since March 2019.

The Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD makes provision for up to 56 Traveller pitches (4 at Newlands, 2 at Charlton, 20 at Worcestershire Parkway, 10 at Throckmorton, up to 10 at Worcester South and up to 10 at Worcester West) and 10 Travelling Showpeople plots at Rushwick.

As part of the development of the Development Plan Document, the South Worcestershire Councils undertook three "calls for sites" - in 2015, 2016 and 2020 – to provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations to suggest sites that they considered might be suitable for allocation as a Traveller or Travelling Showpeople site. 46 sites were submitted for consideration, but not all were considered suitable.

In addition to proposing specific site allocations to meet the identified needs of Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, the Development Plan Document also includes draft policies to ensure that development proposals for Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites are appropriately located and designed.

After the public consultation all responses will be reviewed and submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. An independent Inspector will then be appointed to carry out the Examination stage of the process. This involves scrutinising the Development Plan Document to make sure that it is sound and legal. A series of public hearings may also be held where people will have the chance to make representations.

After the Examination stage is complete, the Planning Inspector may decide to ask for changes to be made to the Development Plan Document. Once this is completed the Development Plan Document can be formally adopted by each of the South Worcestershire Councils. This is expected to take place in late 2023.

Full details of the Plan are available at https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/consultations/south-worcestershire-traveller-and-travelling-showpeople-policy

Glossary

For the purposes of planning policy 'Travellers' means Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family's or dependants' educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excluding members of an organised group of Travelling Showpeople or circus people travelling together as such.

For the purposes of planning policy, 'Travelling Showpeople' means Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their own or their family's or dependents' more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excludes Travellers as defined above.

For the purposes of planning policy, 'pitch' means a pitch on a 'gypsy and Traveller' site and 'plot' means a pitch on a 'Travelling Showpeople' site (often called a 'yard'). This terminology differentiates between residential pitches for 'gypsies and travellers' and mixed-use plots for 'Travelling Showpeople', which may need to incorporate space to allow for the storage of equipment.

A six-week public consultation has started on a key planning document that will shape the future development of South Worcestershire.

The revised South Worcestershire Development plan allocates land for 13,240 additional new homes and 290.7 hectares of employment land to be delivered by 2041. This will help meet the Government requirement to allocate land to build 26,360 new homes and 350.5 hectares of employment land across South Worcestershire from 2021 to 2041. Not all sites in the Plan are new, with some being carried over from the last version of the SWDP and sites that already have planning permission being taken into account.

The majority of the new housing will be met through strategic growth sites at Worcestershire Parkway, Throckmorton, Rushwick and Mitton.

The public are being asked to comment on whether they consider the review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan is sound and legally compliant. To be considered sound the Plan must have been positively prepared, based on robust, credible evidence, show a clear deliverable vision and be consistent with national planning policies.

On top of this the three South Worcestershire Councils – Worcester City, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils – must also show they have complied with planning legislation including the legal duty to help neighbouring councils meet their strategic housing needs.

Comments can be made from Tuesday 1 November until 11.59pm on Tuesday 13 December 2022. Only comments made during the consultation can be considered.

People can comment by filling in the online comment form available on our website at www.swdevelopmentplan.org/review.Paper copies are also available from Customer Contact Centres, local libraries and some parish and town council offices.

A series of public information events are being held to help describe the proposed growth at each of the strategic sites and give people the chance to ask questions.

These will be held on the following dates:

• Rushwick expanded settlement - Thursday 3 November 1200-2000 at Rushwick Village Hall, Bransford Road, Rushwick, WR2 5TA
• Worcestershire Parkway new settlement – Wednesday 9 November 1200-2000 at Norton Parish Hall, Wadborough Road, Littleworth,WR5 2QB
• Mitton - Friday 11 November 1300-2000 at Bredon Village Hall, Main Road, Bredon, GL20 7QN
• Throckmorton new settlement - Monday 14 November 1300-2000 at Bishampton Village Hall, Broad Lane, Bishampton, WR10 2LU

After the consultation all comments will be passed on to the Planning Inspectorate. The Plan will then go for Examination where it will be scrutinised in detail to make sure it is sound and legal. A series of public hearings may also be held where people will have the chance to make representations and ask questions providing that they have responded to this consultation.

It is expected the plan will be formally adopted by the South Worcestershire Councils in late 2023.

Cllr David Harrison, Chairman of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Joint Advisory Panel, said: "At this stage we are seeking views on whether people feel the Plan meets the test of soundness and is legally compliant. We cannot make changes to the Plan at this time; however, all comments will be passed to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration. There is a lot of information available through the SWDP website and in local libraries to help people understand what is being proposed and how to comment. I urge people to get involved with the consultation and to make their views known."

ENDS

Additional information:

The current South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) covers the period 2006 to 2030 and is based on extensive evidence and previous consultations. It has been jointly prepared by the three partner councils – Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon.

The Review will extend the period the plan covers from 2030 up to 2041.

The SWDP Review includes policies for dealing with four broad areas:

• Creating jobs and economic prosperity
• Meeting housing needs
• Transportation
• The environment.

Most of the new housing will be provided through new settlements, known as strategic sites. These will be located close to existing or new railway links. Clear layout (concept) plans have been prepared for each area. Providing new greenspaces will also be a key part of the Plan. A range of house types will be provided to meet the future requirements of our area's population. Consideration has been given for people of different age groups and with health needs.

Development will be completed in phases over time and developers will be asked for payments known as "developer contributions" to support, and where necessary, deliver local infrastructure.

The strategic sites are as follows:

• Worcestershire Parkway - Up to 2041, 5,000 new homes will be built at this location with up to 40% affordable housing and 50 hectares of employment land to build a new settlement based on garden community principles. Another 5,000 homes are planned after 2041. The settlement will be carbon neutral with renewable energy providing the development's energy needs. The focus will be on making sure residents' needs are met near to where they live including a new town centre, schools, local neighbourhood centres and community facilities. Together with investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, it will promote sustainability and reduce dependency on the car.
  
  
• Throckmorton - A carbon neutral settlement of 2,000 homes with 40% affordable housing and 20 hectares of employment land will be created by 2041. In the second phase after 2041, another 3,000 new homes are planned, as well as 40 hectares of employment land. Again, the focus will be on delivering sustainability with a town centre, schools and community facilities forming part of the proposals. New infrastructure will include direct walking and cycling links to Pershore Railway Station to reduce the need to travel by car.
  
  
• Rushwick - 1,000 new homes are planned as well as 5 hectares of employment land, a new railway station, primary school, retail and other supporting services including a new or improved village hall, community park, allotments and orchards. Up to 40% of the housing will be affordable and no development will be allowed before land necessary to enable the railway station to be built and other critical infrastructure has been secured.
  
  
• Mitton - Land near Mitton close to Bredon and next to Tewkesbury town, has also been identified to provide 1,000 new homes, 500 of which will be to meet neighbouring Tewkesbury Borough Council's housing need. This agreement is part of the legal Duty to Cooperate which requires councils to support each other's strategic planning needs. A new primary school, community facilities and walking and cycling links are included in the proposal.

Smaller sites have also been identified for new housing in each area during the plan period. In Worcester City 866 new homes are planned, 594 in Malvern, 10 in Tenbury and 376 in rural villages across the Malvern Hills District. In Wychavon 916 new homes have been allocated to Droitwich Spa, 255 in Evesham, 212 in Pershore and 1,069 in rural villages across the district.

As well as housing, the new Plan provides 290.7 hectares of new employment land to support business growth, renewed protections to prevent development on the Green Belt and around 179 hectares of new recreational open green space for people to enjoy.

There are also new and enhanced policies supporting each councils' efforts to protect the environment and tackle climate change. Measures within these policies include:

• Developments must be designed to minimise car use
• Developers must provide the infrastructure for charging electric vehicles in each new home
• Sustainable materials and construction techniques must be used
• At least 20% of predicted energy use by a development must come from renewable or low carbon energy sources
• Sites for new solar farms have been identified
• Sites for Informal Areas of Recreation (AIRs) have been identified
• Developments must provide measurable net gains in biodiversity
• Polices to protect valued landscapes and landscape character
• Policies to manage and mitigate against flood risk
• Policies to make the most effective use of land

Full details of the Plan are available at www.swdevelopmentplan.org/review