Council decides to reset work on future Local Plan for West Northamptonshire

West Northamptonshire Council has decided to start afresh on its Local Plan to reflect new national planning rules, address public concerns and shape future growth around community needs and devolution.

At their meeting last night (Monday 14 September), West Northamptonshire Council’s Planning Policy Committee opted to reject the current draft Regulation 19 Local Plan, which has been produced in line with the 2012 Town and Country Planning Regulations.

It means the Council has decided to restart the process of producing a new Local Plan, based on the 2026 National Planning Policy Framework and 2026 Town and Country Planning Regulations.

Councillor Thomas Manning, Chairman of West Northamptonshire Council’s Planning Policy Committee and Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “Since work started on the draft Plan several years ago, the planning system has undergone considerable change, with the Government introducing a fundamentally different approach.

“Decisions made through this Plan will shape our communities for decades to come and determine where thousands of homes, jobs, infrastructure and community facilities will be delivered. We owe it to our residents to ensure it reflects the latest national policy and not to rush it through a dated system that’s being replaced.”

“Over 6,000 responses to the Plan’s recent consultation is a huge level of public engagement and among these responses were a number of concerns expressed by our communities, particularly around the proposed scale of growth for rural areas. Only very limited changes can be made to the current draft Plan at this stage and we need more time to fully address residents’ concerns. Starting afresh will enable more meaningful engagement with residents and in the context of the new national planning framework.”

Cllr Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said he fully supported the Committee’s decision, particularly in the light of the Government’s changing devolution agenda.

He said: “There is still great uncertainty around future devolution arrangements for West Northants and our residents firstly deserve clarity on these issues, so we can plan our future growth strategy alongside neighbouring authorities, rather than in isolation.

“We fully recognise that preparing a Local Plan is a lengthy and costly process and that starting again carries risks around a continued reliance on existing plans and the potential for speculative development in the meantime. But the risks of rushing this Plan through and potentially getting it wrong for our residents and future generations far outweighs this.

“This is not about whether the current draft Plan is technically sound or deliverable, it’s about whether it is the right Plan for West Northamptonshire that will support future growth in decades to come, with the right housing and infrastructure, transport and community facilities.”

View the full report that was considered at yesterday’s Planning Policy Committee.