News from District Councillor Lucille Hagues
SLEAFORD MARKET PLACE
You may have seen that hoarding is now up in the Market Place in Sleaford and NKDC contractor Smith Construction is onsite undertaking lots of other preparation work. The hoarding is there for everyone’s safety while the work takes place, as well as helping to keep noise, debris and rising dust contained within the site.
NKDC are working to install further advertising on the hoarding for the businesses at the Market Place with photographs of premises to help ensure they can have some more visibility at this time. Some of the businesses at the Market Place have requested to have their own signage too, which is agreed to and will liaise with on directly.
This is in addition to the current signage on the hoarding which indicates that businesses remain open as usual, as well as directing people to other car parks in the town and to Sleaford town Council’s regular markets which are relocated temporarily at Eastgate Car Park during the works.
There is a pedestrian walkway available all around the Market Place so that businesses can still be accessed, including past the Sessions House.
The al fresco seating does need to be packed away while repaving takes place at the area outside the Sessions House from early August until mid-September – however it’s hoped the hoarding there can be removed once the work is completed.
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS
Nominations are now open for you to champion and celebrate those people you think your community cannot be without.
The NK Community Champion Awards look to say “thank you” to those people that enrich our lives through their voluntary contributions, operating selflessly, tirelessly, charitably and consistently in carrying out tasks and functions which enrich our communities – from litter picking to running sports clubs to enabling art and creativity to flourish, supporting the health and wellbeing of others, actively promoting positive climate action, being a good neighbour or an inspiring young person, or just embodying community spirit in all that you do.
Across 10 categories, the Council and it’s sponsoring businesses want to extend a huge thank you to everyone that contributes to Nk’s District of Flourishing Communities through their voluntary actions.
See www.NKwards.org for details to make a nomination (or 10!) The deadline for nominations is September 16th, working towards an awards celebration on November 27th.
If a business would like to complete a sponsor’s line-up for this year, playing a vital role in ensuring the good work of our amazing volunteers is celebrated and championed, please contact champions@n-kesteven.gov.uk
GET FIT FOR LIFE COURSE
NKDC’s free 10 weeks Get Fit for Life Course is open for enrolling again, taking place in Sleaford from October 3rd to December 5th.
These sessions are being held every Thursday, 10am until mid-day and the course is for anyone over the age of 18 who lives, or works in North Kesteven, has a BMI of over 25, and would like support and encouragement to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Spaces are limited. To book on, email deborahchessum@n-kesteven.gov.uk
The course is also available online for anyone not able to make these in-person sessions, due to work or other commitments during the day. Residents can drop a line to the same email address to enquire.
PREPARING A DESIGN AND CODE EVENT FOR PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILS (CENTRAL LINCOLNSHIRE)
The Central Lincolnshire Local Plans Team are preparing an authority -wide design code for Central Lincolnshire. This will set out rules for new development to follow, not only for how it looks, but also how it relates to the surrounding area and creates places where people want to live, work and visit.
The Local Plans team are inviting Parish and town councils to an in person event on preparing a design code for Central Lincolnshire as part of the first round of public engagement and consultation on the design code.
There will be FOUR events across Central Lincolnshire during September that a parish council can sign up to and invitations to the events should have been received.
NK would like to reiterate that there is limited capacity for this event and can only be extended to ONE representative from each parish council. If you have any questions at all, please email talkplanning@central-lincs.org.uk
PLANNING REFORM
In her first speech as Chancellor, the RT Hon Rachel Reeves MP, outlined her requirement of the immediate reform of the planning system to assist in the new Government’s national mission for growth, including the building of 1.5 million homes in the next five years. Amongst the proposals for the planning system are ;
To consult on an updated version of The National Planning Policy Framework with a focus of growth, including the restoration of housing targets, by the end of the month
To remove the NPPF constraints relating to onshore wind energy development, and which indeed was delivered on 8th July through a policy statement –
Policy statement on onshore wind-GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
To construct on bringing onshore wind energy back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime such that developments generating over 50MW will be determined nationally.
To ensure energy projects in the system are progressed swiftly
To introduce a task force to accelerate stalled housing sites
To support local authorities with 300 new planning officers
To modify the intervention in planning decisions around the economic benefits of the development proposed, and to ensure the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor have sight of the important investment opportunity with important planning considerations
To prioritise the use of brownfield and “grey belt” land – the latter not being relevant to a Lincolnshire context where there is no designated green belt
To deliver more affordable homes including those designated for social rent
To prioritise decisions on infrastructure
To set out new policy intentions for critical infrastructure in the coming months ahead of revising National Policy Statements within the year
Best Wishes
Lucille