Approach to Sustainable Development

Shepton Mallet is designated in the Mendip District Local Plan as one of the five principal settlements. As such, staged development within Shepton Mallet will be supported, not least as this will help the settlement to continue to provide for the services and facilities required by a growing community.

In addition to the objectives set out above, the plan and its policies have also been developed with the following principles in mind. It is recommended that developers and applicants consider, where relevant, the following overarching principles of development when preparing and submitting planning applications within the neighbourhood area.

1. Early consultation with the Town Council and other community organisations is highly recommended, especially where the scheme is for more than a single dwelling or involves the use of a previously developed site. The town council wish to be informed about development in neighbouring areas outside the plan area, which may have an impact on residents in the neighbourhood area.
2. Where possible, applications which support the ongoing activities of social housing providers will be supported and encouraged, and applications should consider these opportunities at an early stage of preparing their planning application.
3. In considering the development or redevelopment of sites, applicants should be mindful to not overdevelop a site, in terms of delivering a scale or density of development which would be incongruous with its immediate neighbours and preserving local amenity.

Wherever possible, contributions for open space, highways and transportation and social housing should be spent locally, unless there are no viable options to do so locally.

Planning applications which accord with the policies in the plan will be approved unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning permission will also be granted where relevant policies in the neighbourhood development plan are out of date or silent unless:

1. Other relevant policies in the development plans for Mendip indicate otherwise.
2. Any adverse impacts of the proposal would significantly and demonstrably outweigh its benefits when assessed against the policies in the NPPF taken as a whole.
3. Or specific policies in the framework or other material considerations indicate that development should be restricted.

Shepton Mallet Town Council will take a positive approach to its consideration of development. The council and the local planning authorities will seek to work with applicants and other stakeholders to encourage the formulation of development proposals that can be approved

This policy incorporates the key principle from the NPPF into the Plan. Where planning applications are to be considered against the policies of this plan then this policy will underpin the approach the council and local planning authorities will adopt in delivering sustainable development in the neighbourhood area.

Monitoring and Review

The Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared to guide development up to 2036. It is unlikely that the Neighbourhood Plan will remain current and completely relevant for the entire plan period and may, in whole or in part, require amendment before 2036.

This is particularly relevant as Mendip District Council will cease to exist on 23rd April 2023, replaced by a Unitary Authority for Somerset.

The main question to be asked through the monitoring process is “Are planning applications being determined in accordance with Neighbourhood Plan policies?”

In all cases, the Town Council and its partners will undertake a partial review of the Neighbourhood Plan in line with the Local Plan Review, with a full review no later than 2027. 

Overview of Policies

This section provides the planning policies which have been written, to explain how development in Shepton Mallet should be approached, designed, and built, in order to support the objectives identified by the community set out in section 9.11.

There are a total of 23 policies addressing five topic areas. These are:

1. Housing and the built environment
2. Transport
3. Town centre and economy
4. The environment
5. Health recreation and community

Each of the five policy sections are introduced by an explanation to the background to that particular issue as it relates to Shepton Mallet and by setting out the local context and circumstances in which the policy area has been approached. This includes the problems, issues, concerns, objectives, and aspirations of the local community.

Each of the 23 individual policies then form two parts:

1. the policy itself, which provides the wording which should be understood and followed by developers when proposing new development, and by the local planning authority when considering proposals.
2. a reasoned justification to provide an understanding of the reasons behind the policy, the background of the particular issue that the policy seeks to address, more detail on the outcome(s) that the policy is intended to achieve, and how the policy is expected to be implemented.

Not all of the policies will be relevant to every type of development, but anyone proposing development in Shepton Mallet will be expected to ensure that they consider and address the policies that are relevant to their proposals, so that the plan is implemented successfully to achieve the local community’s objectives.

The Housing Policies are supported by a document identifying the different Character Areas of Shepton Mallet and the context of design within them. They are also supported by a Design Guide, Appendix 4, which is included to guide developers through the design process and to help to provide housing which not only meets the needs of the community, but also fits sympathetically into its surroundings.

Policies & Objectives Matrix

The table below sets out which of the Neighbourhood Plan’s objectives will be supported by which of the plan’s policies. There is some crossover between the objectives and the specific themed policy areas: