Surrounded by arable pasture, Isham is historically importantas an isolated Northamptonshire village located on an elevated site. It is situated on the strategic north-south road (A509), which connects the towns of Wellingborough and Kettering. The ancient core of the village is centred on the three or four small village greens, St Peter's Church and the Conservation Area.

More recent development is located west of the A509. The Parish also encompasses three "satellite" residential areas, a larger one to the West of the village on the Orlingbury Road, often referred to as "Little Isham" and further housing and Hillsboro Farm located on Station Road that leads to Finedon, two or three other dwellings are located on the other Station Road that leads to Burton Latimer.

Neighbourhood planning was introduced under the Localism Act 2011 to provide local communities with involvement in the planning of their neighbourhoods. It introduced new rights and powers to allow communities to shape development in their local area by coming together to prepare neighbourhood development plans. The Isham Neighbourhood Development Plan is being prepared to establish a vision for the Parish and to help deliver the local community's aspirations and needs for the plan period up to 2031.

Isham Parish Council identified the need for a Neighbourhood Plan ultimately to be produced in 2020 and established a steering group to set the wheels in motion. It was felt to be important that whilst the Neighbourhood Plan would be madeby the Parish Council, the plan should be drawn up on behalf of the Parish Council by as broad a spectrum of people as possible from across the village community. Accordingly, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (NPSG) is made up of five residents of the parish who are not parish councillors, two parish councillors and an administrative support person. The group has remained consistent throughout the drafting process and members are spread, geographically, across the parish.

The Parish Council is closely involved in the drafting of the plan throughout the process and contributing to, commentingon, and agreeing the early drafts of the final pre-submission draft.

The NPSG are being assisted and guided throughout the process by a chartered town planner from Aitchison Raffety,Nigel Ozier, who is providing advice and technical support. The group also commissioned an extensive landscape visual assessment from consultants Craft Pegg. Whilst the companyis based on the south coast, John Pegg hails from neighbouring Burton Latimer and maintains strong links locally.

Significant assistance with printing and logistics continues to be provided by local businesses and groups, particularly the local scout troop.

With the exception of Nigel Ozier and John Pegg, the members of NPSG are volunteers who have consulted those who live, work or have a business interest in the Parish. This consultation is being carried out through surveys, flyer-drops to every household, face-to-face and public engagement meetings.

Every effort is being made to ensure that the views and policies contained in Neighbourhood Plan pre submission document reflect those of the majority of residents in the Parish.

Members of the Steering Group and the Parish Council aregrateful for the continuing help and engagement of manyresidents of the village, without whom it is not possible to produce the Plan.

Once adopted the Isham Neighbourhood Development Plan will be a statutory document and it will form part of the development plans for the wider area of North Northamptonshire Council. We have and continue to consult with and listen to the community, landowners, local businesses and organisations on a wide range of issues that will influence the wellbeing, sustainability and long-termpreservation of our village. In due course the pre-submission draft will be published for consultation by the wider community.

Members of Isham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group are:

John Davis (Chair), Douglas Forrester, Tony Hanning, Graham Kinnear, Liz Lovett (Parish Councillor and chair of Isham Playing Fields Association), Alison McLaven, and Lorna Tidbury (Parish Councillor). Our administrative assistant is Rachael Ball.