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Neighbourhood Plans

Community-led planning to help people shape the future of the areas in which they live.

The Localism Act 2011 has encouraged communities and local people to come together and shape the future of their local areas through Neighbourhood Plans.

In West Berkshire they are developed by Parish and Town Councils assisted by community volunteers. Plans have to be in general conformity with national planning policies and the strategic policies contained within the Development Plan.

Neighbourhood Plans are subject to independent examination and local referendum before they can be adopted as part of the Development Plan.

This webpage provides information on the following:

Types of Neighbourhood Plans

There are three different types of neighbourhood plans:

Neighbourhood Development Plans: a planning document that contains planning policies. Site allocations can also be included.
Neighbourhood Development Orders: grant planning permission for specific types of development in a particular area.
Community Right to Build Orders: grant planning permission for small-scale community-led developments.

How to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan

Detailed guidance on how to prepare a neighbourhood plan is provided on our neighbourhood planning resources webpage. It covers all aspects of neighbourhood planning from deciding whether to produce a plan, their preparation, through to delivering and monitoring an adopted plan.

Neighbourhood Plans in West Berkshire

Adopted Neighbourhood Plans

Cold Ash Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP)

Qualifying Body: Cold Ash Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: March 2018
Date plan adopted: May 2024

Compton NDP

Qualifying Body: Compton Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: January 2017
Date plan adopted: February 2022

Hermitage NDP

Qualifying Body: Hermitage Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: April 2019
Date plan adopted: May 2024

Stratfield Mortimer NDP

Qualifying Body: Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: December 2014
Date plan adopted: June 2017 - a review of the plan is currently in progress

Neighbourhood Plans in preparation

Burghfield NDP

Qualifying Body: Burghfield Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: March 2017
Current Stage: Neighbourhood Area designated

Enborne NDP

Qualifying Body: Enborne Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: October 2023
Current Stage: Neighbourhood Area designated

Hungerford NDP

Qualifying Body: Hungerford Town Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: April 2018
Current Stage: Pre-submission consultation (Regulation 14)

Lambourn NDP

Qualifying Body: Lambourn Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: December 2018
Current Stage: Pre-submission consultation (Regulation 14)

Newbury NDP

Qualifying Body: Newbury Town Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: August 2021
Current Stage: Neighbourhood Area designated

Thatcham NDP

Qualifying Body: Thatcham Town Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: June 2024
Current Stage: Neighbourhood Area designated

Tilehurst NDP

Qualifying Body: Tilehurst Parish Council
Date Neighbourhood Area Designated: May 2015
Current Stage: Pre-submission consultation (Regulation 14)

Neighbourhood Development Orders (NDOs) and Community Right to Build Orders (CRtBOs)

NDOs and the CRtBOs give the local community more control over development. There are no adopted NDOs or CRtBOs in West Berkshire, and none are currently in preparation.