Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Plan 

Referendum Thursday 6th May 2021

Following public engagement and drafting by the Parish Council over the period since 2012, our Neighbourhood Plan has now reached the referendum stage.

All eligible residents of Boughton Monchelsea parish are entitled and encouraged to vote.

A “yes’ vote should see the plan adopted by Maidstone Borough Council.  It will then be used in conjunction with other planning documents for the determination of planning applications in your parish.  It reflects the views of residents and stakeholders made during the engagement process.

The Parish Council would like to see a good turn out on referendum day in support of your plan.

Please visit the Village Hall, Church Street on Thursday 6th May 2021, 7.00am to 10.00pm and cast your vote!

You should have received a poll card and details from Maidstone Borough Council prior to the day.

During the statutory validation of the plan the Examiner commented:

“It is clear that the Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Development Plan is the product of much hard work undertaken since 2012.  In my assessment the Plan reflects the land use aspirations and objectives of the Boughton Monchelsea community for the future planning of their Parish up to 2031.  The output is a Plan which should help guide the area’s development over the period, making a positive contribution to informing decision-making on planning applications by Maidstone Borough Council”.

You can view the plan below. Hard copies are available for viewing at :

Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone Link, King Street, Maidstone

Boughton Monchelsea Post Office

By appointment with the Parish Clerk (tel: 01622 744969)

Further information on the referendum can be found in the booklet and information statement below. 

All the documents which the Parish Council submitted as part of the Neighbourhood Plan process are below, and here is a brief explanation of each.

Neighbourhood Plan draft March 2020  – this sets out planning policies which, if we are successful in the independent Examination and subsequent referendum, will be used by MBC to help make planning decisions in the parish.

Consultation Statement  and Appendices 2019 – this describes all the community consultation the Parish Council have carried out on the Plan as it was drafted, and how your comments have shaped its contents.   

Basic Conditions Statement  2020 -  a Neighbourhood Plan  has to meet various legal requirements, known as the “Basic Conditions”.  This document explains how the Plan complies.  It also lists all the publicly available sources of information used to help develop the Plan.  

Environmental Statement 2019 – this is another legal requirement, and it explains why key national bodies consider that the Plan does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment or a Habitats Regulation Assessment.

We have also submitted key pieces of information and reports which were compiled specifically for Boughton Monchelsea to help us develop the Plan:

Colvin and Moggridge, Boughton Monchelsea Landscape Management and Masterplan 2018 – this report was prepared by landscape architects to help the Parish Council understand, maintain and improve the landscape of the parish in partnership with landowners.  

Colvin and Moggridge, Boughton Monchelsea Priority Local Landscape 2019 – this report by landscape architects identifies an area of high quality landscape which is proposed for protection in the Neighbourhood Plan

Boughton Monchelsea Housing Needs Survey 2018, Action for Rural Communities Kent – this report supports the Plan’s policies on housing

A folder of additional parish-specific Evidence on Flood Risk, MBC Housing Register and Housing Density – these are shorter documents which support the Plan’s policies on locally important topics   

Boughton Monchelsea COVID-19 support network

Please get in touch if you need our help

For further info and links click on the 'COVID-19 support' tab above

With the new lockdown now upon us, the Parish Council would like to advise you that the Boughton Volunteers (set up during the first lockdown in March) are still there to support you.

Boughton Monchelsea Volunteers was set up by the Parish Council to provide support during the COVID-19 crisis to those people within the parish who are self-isolating as a result of symptoms, age or health condition. We are aware that many of you who are or will be self-isolating as a result of symptoms or being 'at risk' due to age or health conditions would under normal circumstances be leading fully independent lives.

If you are self-isolating then you have to protect yourself and others by staying at home for the relevant period of time but we're here to assist in any way we can. We can help with things like picking up shopping and urgent supplies but whatever your need is just get in touch. This is not just for the elderly, it's for every one of us here in Boughton Monchelsea.

If you are being supported already by Boughton Monchelsea Helping Hands then please don't worry, this will continue and there is no need to contact us unless you need any further help. 

Please contact your local Volunteer Coordinator if you need any help at all, we will be happy to assist. 

Contact details for all the Coordinators are shown below. If you are unable to get hold of your co-ordinator then please contact Cllr Steve Munford on 01622 741310.