Meldreth Neighbourhood Plan
Launch Meeting 15.01.2026 |  |
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Developing a Neighbourhood Plan is a important and significant undertaking. It requires significant participation of people in the village. This presentation is to outline why it is important and to describe the next steps.
Your Village
Meldreth is a great place to live but unless you take stock (as with this brochure for Damson Close) it is too easy to overlook the terrific contribution of people, activities and groups to village life. The Parish Council seeks to support these activities - often through funding or policy & lobbying support
Parish Council Finances
This table summarizes the Parish Council resources themselves significant but on the scale of other finances quite modest - for example the average disposable household income in our area is £31000 from the ONS. The blue portion (precept) essentially only covers the regular 'running costs' such as salaries, grass cutting and maintenance. For anything new or for project work funding comes from the Solar Fund and S106 - the Solar Fund is a 'one-off' benefit which will finish in nine years time, S106 is funding connected with, and dependent, on new developments.
Parish Council Remit (NOT Potholes)
( see also) plus very many more including charities. In some examples - such as the Burial Ground - the council is 100% responsible. Others - such as the Village Hall - are the responsibility of other groups where the Parish Council has, or might, provide funds. In some cases, such as the footpaths, the responsibilities lies with other authorities but where recently the Parish is being asked to contribute resources in order that improvement schemes go ahead. We also need better insight from local business to ensure a sustainable and productive local economy.
Precept (Council Tax Bill is £2384.60 for Band D)
With the likely ending of the solar fund in 2034 and the continued unpredictability of S106 funds we need to consider a source of income for 'new initiatives'. An easy recourse is to increase the precept where, logically, it could rise to Melbourn levels over the next few years. We need to find out from the consultation whether people in Meldreth think increasing the precent is acceptable.
2005-2025 Developments
| Development | Completed/Prevented | Predicted/Planned |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Farms | ☑ | no |
| Mettle Hill | ? | no |
| Melrose | ☑ | no |
| Eternit Development | ☒ | no |
| Atlas Close | ☑ | no |
| Marvell Green | ☑ | no |
| GoCold | ? | no |
| Damson Close | ☑ | no |
The overall strategy for development is defined in the local plan) (the latest version of with is under consultation by the Greater Cambridge Partnership). For the past 20 years and for the next plan Meldreth is considered to be a 'Group Village' with no major plans for large scale (>8 houses) developments. However as is clear from this table this has not stopped significant developments being proposed and in some cases approved. Many of these have included S106 but as far as the Parish Council are concerned they appear 'out of the blue' with little warning and the need to think through and propose our section S106 needs in a few days.
S106 (former GoCold site)
As you will know we are able to seek contributions from the developer to improve local infrastructure but, in order to do so, need to be able to explain how monies might be used. In response we sought the following Parish Council identified projects:
- £42,155.45 to improve outdoor sports facilities (including pitches/courts/changing facilities) in Meldreth or Melbourn
- £65,695.01 towards improved play facilities in Meldreth
- £19,713.97 towards improving the Meldreth village hall
- £20,779.61 towards Melwood local nature reserve and the river Mel project
- £12,000 towards extending a footpath along Station Road We also sought:
- £10,987 to improve Melbourn Sports Centre
- £12,251 to improve Melbourn pool
I would be grateful if you could please give as much information as possible in relation to how any of the identified contributions might be used. Moreover, I appreciate there are no allotments in Meldreth but if there are ambitions to provide any allotments (or community orchards) then further contributions may be secured.
This extract from an S106 email illustrates the nature of the Parish Council input into S106 discussions, the S106 contributions becomes a condition of any planning approval and may, years later, translate into funds made available to the Parish Council. As you read this it is important to note that the sums involves come from a formula based on the size of the development but the target - such as improved sports facilities - could be for the village of elsewhere. If such facilities are needed for and in Meldreth we need to identify and plan (in the Neighbourhood Plan) in order to be ready to put these ideas forward if, or when, we are asked to comment on planning applications.
Neighbourhood Plan
A neighbourhood plan can: • allocate sites for development for housing, employment, and community uses • protect what is special about an area by identifying green spaces or local heritage assets • help to define the type and design of new development • propose more development than the Local Plan A neighbourhood plan cannot: • propose less growth than in the Local Plan • prevent any development from ever taking place in an area • be prepared without community input and support • conflict with local, national or international policies
This table summarises what the local voice - ie the Meldreth residents contribution and findings from the Neighbourhood plan - can determine. Meldreth resident have no powers to overturn the Local Plan (produced by Greater Cambridge Planning) but our ideas to shape or extend these provisions can be added and become a legal required from an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan will also add to the infrastructure funds directly available to the Parish Council.
The Plan for the Plan
 | January-July 2026: For the next 6 months we will establish a number of volunteer led groups collecting the background information and identifying possible future options across the topics and aspects of village life. This is why we need volunteers to lead and participate in these groups. September 2026-July 2027: Once the data is available and credible options can be described we will put these out for consultation to the village as a whole by way of public meetings and questionnaires. The results from this consultation process will produce the draft Neighbourhood Plan. Autumn 2027: Completion of the Neighbourhood Plan and submission for adoption to the local authority. |
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The production and adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan is a formal process with specific statutory requirements, high levels of consultation and a relatively low chance (50%) of getting to completion. From the experience of others it seems 18 months is the likely timeframe to complete the information gathers, options forming, consultation and submission process. If the process gets 'bogged down' and looks like it will extend or significantly miss the deadline we propose the submission will be abandoned.
Consultation - Questions
Intent: Should we install gym equipment on the rec? Resources: Should we install gym equipment on the rec if we double the precept? Priorities: Should we install gym equipment or help fund the school pool?
These are hypothetical choices that can arise from questions from the options gathering - if we simply ask what people would like we will get a fairly meaningless wish list (everyone will say yes to everything). More informative questions will help match requirements to resources and understand priorities which might be in conflict. This will be the difficult part of forming the plan.
Help Needed
- Activity/Interest/Options Teams (for Summer 2026):
- Profile activity - objectives, beneficiaries, plans, needs
- Core team (from Summer 2026):
- Produce Questionnaire & Draft Plan
- To Support the Consultation Activities
- Social Media Help
- Planning expertise
- Questionnaire design
As we go ahead we will need significant input from people in Meldreth. Initially we are embarking on a '20 year' view of the activities and facilities in Meldreth, what new facilities would we wish for, what do we have to do, what are the options, how much and how many. This will be useful in its own right, irrespective of the Neighbourhood Plan, as a catalogue or directory for Meldreth. The core team also needs volunteers - this is to design and run the consultation process, to soft, sift and structure the options and to provide the specialist skills - such as Social Media, Planning, Architecture, Business - needed.
Activity Profile
- [☑] Description (what and who)
- [☑] Any links (website etc)
- [☑] Meldreth Beneficiaries (how many)
- [☑] Resources (how much and from who) - including past Parish Council contributions
- [☑] Major Accomplishments - projects, campaigns, facilities
- [☑] Major Challenges (esp. resources) - future projects, upgrades, maintenance
This is the outline for the information collection activities, for established groups and known societies the Parish Council will be contacting you directly - but this should not stop anyone thinking about or discussing ideas from now. We welcome but find it difficult to identify other interests - for example facilities for a sport where there are no Meldreth facilities, for novel ideas such as nature reserves or some aesthetic aspect such as a conservation zone. If these do not form part of the options phase they cannot form part of the consultation or be an element of the Neighbourhood Plan.
Volunteer Profile
 | - Name - Areas in which you can offer help - Contact details |
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How to shape where you live: a guide to neighbourhood planning - CPRE
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This is an open invitation to become a member of the core team, there will be an active recruitment process notified in Meldreth Matters and on Social Media. We are also interested in hearing from students or their teachers with an interest in our village who are thinking about projects or internships (for the next academic year - Autumn 2026 to Summer 2027). Anyone with specialist skills is particularly welcome and that everyone here can help ‘pass the word’ over the importance and significance of this initiative. In all cases contact Roger James or stay alert for announcement in Meldreth Matters and on Facebook. The Parish Council welcomes ideas open to all Meldreth residents and from all groups and all ages.