Council responds to Minister on Local Plan intervention

West Northamptonshire Council has formally responded to the Government setting out its reasons why ministerial intervention in its Local Plan is not appropriate.

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

However, Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook intervened, using the Government’s statutory powers, directing the Council to proceed with the current draft produced in line with the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2012.

WNC wrote to the Minister yesterday (Monday 28 September) ahead of the Government’s 29 September deadline to provide any exceptional circumstances which suggest intervention is not appropriate and the Council has written back setting out its case.

In its letter, the Council argues that progressing the current draft plan could create greater risks and delays if concerns raised during consultation are later upheld through the examination process. It states that issues around the assessment of alternative growth options and the capacity of the local electricity grid need further work before final decisions on future development patterns are made.

Councillor Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, who has formally written to the Minister, said: “We have responded robustly and constructively to the Government's request, setting out why we believe intervention is not necessary and why local decision-making should be respected.

“Members took the decision to pause the current draft Local Plan because they were not satisfied that important questions around infrastructure, growth and alternative options had been fully resolved. These are matters that must be addressed if we are to deliver a plan that is genuinely sound, deliverable and in the long-term interests of our residents.

“We have set out our position clearly and will continue to engage constructively with Government as it considers the next steps.”

The Government will now consider the Council's representations.