Audley Rural Neighbourhood Plan - Referendum 25th September 2025

NOTICE OF REFERENDUM AUDLEY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN AREA


Referendum on the adoption of the Audley Rural Neighbourhood Plan

  1. A referendum will be held on Thursday 25 September 2025 to decide on the Question below:

    “Do you want Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Audley to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

  2. Applications to be included on the register of electors for this referendum must be received no later than Tuesday 09 September 2025.
  3. New applications for, or amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of existing postal proxy votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1BL by 5 pm on Wednesday 10 September 2025.
  4. New applications to vote by proxy at this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1BL by 5 pm on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
  5. Applications to vote by proxy at this referendum applied for on grounds of physical incapacity, or because of works reasons, that occurred after 5 pm on Wednesday 17 September 2025, must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1BL by 5 pm on Thursday 25 September 2025.
Dated: Wednesday 20 August 2025
Gordon Mole, Counting Officer, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

Click here to view the Notice of Referendum - Audley (PDF)
Click here to view the Audley Rural Neighbourhood Plan 25 - Referendum version (PDF)
Click here to view the Audley Infographics 25 (PDF)


Audley
Park End
Shraleybrook
Halmer End
Miles Green
Alsagers Bank
Scot Hay
Wood Lane
Bignall End

What is a neighbourhood plan?

A neighbourhood plan puts in place planning policy for a neighbourhood area (such as in this case Audley Parish) to guide future development. A neighbourhood plan is about the use and development of land and may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities, or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. It may deal with a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues (such as housing, employment, design, heritage and transport) or it may focus on one or two issues only.

A robust programme of community engagement and proportionate evidence base should help to make sure that our neighbourhood plan is based on a proper understanding of the area and of the views, aspirations, wants and needs of local people.

To find out more about neighbourhood plans visit the Neighbourhood Plan Roadmap Guide.

Local Green Spaces

A neighbourhood plan will identify green spaces for protection.

Heritage Assets

Sites that contribute to the local history and culture are identified.

Development Plan

Looking at ways to improve the area with new buildings.

Community Engagement

Local plans work best when all residents get to have a say.

Logo design competition winner announced!

Our winning logo was drawn by a pupil from Sir Thomas Boughey Academy.

Thanks to all who took part - judging the best was a tough process. The excellent winning entry now appears on our website and leaflets.

Grow the largest sunflower to win the competition

This competition was launched at the recent plant fair in the area. The task was simple - grow the largest sunflower!

  • Grow the largest sunflower. The highest wins!
  • Competition now closed. Winners to be announced shortly.

Engaging with the community

Members of the team appeared at the recent Audley Plant Sale and Dan Hughes Memorial Cricket and Family Fun Day event. We were looking to engage with memebrs of the local community and ask for ideas on the current Green Spaces Audit. At the same time, we launched our competitions and got some entries on the spot.

  • It was great to hear members of the public's views on green spaces. This helps us in our audit and helps to protect our precious green areas.
  • Launching the competitions was great fun. It was great to see children get on board.

If you missed the events don't worry, our team will be appearing at other community events in the future.

We need to hear your views to make an effective local plan

Over the coming weeks our team will be constructing a questionnaire to ask for views and opinions from the all members of the local community. This is your chance to have a say in the way your local area develops over the next years.

The questionnaire will be available in various places so it should give everybody a chance to have a say:

  • Through your letterbox.
  • Online (coming soon to this site).
  • At upcoming community events.
  • In prominent community locations (e.g. Audley Library).

Audley Parish Map

Audley Parish is made up of the villages of Audley, Bignall End, Halmer End, Miles Green, Park End, Shraleybrook, Scot Hay, Dunkirk, Wood Lane and Alsagers Bank.

Images

Some images of our local area, taken during the green spaces audit and by other visitors to our area.

Team

Meet the team delivering the plan. Made up of residents from the local area, most are volunteers giving their time freely to help create a beautiful future for our parish.

Clare Withington

Treasurer and Secretary for the Steering Group. Highly experienced public sector worker. Resident in the Parish for 20 years.

Neil Ginnis

Retired IT Project Manager. Secretary and Past President of the Rotary Club of Audley. Resident of Bignall End for over 40 years.

Bryan Carnes MBE

Former CEO of the N Staffs Chamber of Commerce, current Chair of the Trustees at the New Vic Theatre and President of the N Staffs Medical Institute. Virtual life-long resident of Audley.

Colin Bielby

Retired science teacher and principal lecturer with an interest in environmental matters and the green spaces in the community. Resident of the Parish for 42 years.

Nathan Stubbs

Chartered architectural designer interested in developing a plan that protects Audley's character, heritage assets and green spaces. Life long resident of Wood Lane and Bignall End.

Claire McIver

Public health professional and parent governor at a local primary school. Interested in opportunities for improving health and wellbeing in the Parish. Resident of Audley for 9 years.

Bruce Johnson

Architectural Technologist (over 10 years) with a specialism in Conservation & Urban Regeneration and a keen interest in safeguarding the positive characteristics of the parish. Resident of Miles Green.

Dave Webb

School teacher and specialist in digital technologies with an interest in using digital skills to help build a positive future for the area. Resident of Audley for 4 years.

Debbie Foss

Local government worker for over 25 years. Chair and Secretary of the Talking Newspaper and passionate about green spaces and community. Resident of Audley for 10 years.

Simon Bland

Safety professional interested in ensuring any proposed development is positive and proportionate for the Parish. Resident of Audley for 7 years and father of children at the local primary.

Nick Hayes

Chairperson of the Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan. IT and Comms professional for 40 years and resident of the parish for 14 years.

Dr Len Gibbs

Former CEO of a social housing association and doctor with a research thesis in property rental economics. Passionate environmentalist and resident of Bignall End for over 20 years.

Helena Cunningham

Sue Moffat (past member)

Labour Councillor (Audley Ward), Honorary Research Fellow of Keele University specialising in Co-Creation and Co-Design processes. Resident of Halmer End since 1984.

Ben Brereton (past member)

Graduate valuation surveyor working towards full RICS accreditation. Enthusiastic about community and the future of the parish. Lifetime resident of Audley.

Nicola Heath-Pedley (past member)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. They are able to choose where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have their say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided, and grant planning permission for the new buildings they want to see go ahead. Neighbourhood planning provides a powerful set of tools for local people to plan for the types of development to meet their community’s needs and where the ambition of the neighbourhood is aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area.

  • There will be a questionnaire circulated to everyone in the area shortly. It will be delivered through the post and you may see some volunteers out and about asking questions in person. Any other feedback is always welcome, see the bottom of this page for our contact details.

  • The process to create the plan is relatively lengthy, often taking a year or more. The plan needs to be detailed and take in account all the many variables and viewpoints from the area as it will be in place for many years.