Neighbourhood Planning

What is neighbourhood planning?

Neighbourhood planning was introduced through the Localism Act of 2011.

A Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) establishes a vision and planning policies for its area, as well as proposals for the future development and use of land. The policies will be a significant consideration when Stratford District Council makes decisions on planning applications that fall within the plan's geographic area.

As Stratford district is a parished area, NDPs in our district are developed by communities in partnership with their Town or Parish Council.

Neighbourhood planning is optional. It is up to individual communities to decide whether they wish to produce an NDP or use other existing planning tools (such as parish plans or village design statements) to achieve their aspirations. Our frequently asked questions page explains the differences between these different types of document.

In October 2024 we published guidance on the relationship between NDPs and the emerging South Warwickshire Local Plan.

Support and advice

Central government, Stratford District Council, and a number of other organisations provide support and advice for communities who wish to pursue neighbourhood planning.

We can also provide a consultation and local survey service to any community wanting to make progress on their parish or neighbourhood plans.

Neighbourhood plan groups may find some of the documents in our technical evidence base useful for developing and supporting their policies.