Neighbourhood Planning

Neighbourhood Plans

A neighbourhood plan is a plan introduced in the Localism Act. It will be the result of a community working together to decide how their local area should develop and grow in the future.

A Neighbourhood Plan gives local people a chance to create a planning document that guides and shapes development in their local area, and to influence what facilities are provided in the area as a result. The plans are about local issues rather than strategic planning issues, but must take account of national planning rules and be in general conformity with the existing adopted planning framework for North Warwickshire

Adopted Plans

These plans have been formally adopted by NWBC  and  now form part of the Development Plan for North Warwickshire

Referendum results

Polesworth Neighbourhood Plan went to referendum on Thursday 20th March 2025

The results were

VOTE NUMBER OF VOTES
YES 909
NO 88
REJECTED 1
ISSUED 998

The Polesworth Neighbourhood Plan will now go to Executive Board on the 10th June with the recommendation that it is adopted by FULL COUNCIL

Plans that are going to referendum

None

Plans examined / being examined by an appointed Inspector

None

Consultations by NWBC on Neighbourhood Plans (Regulation 16)

None

Consultations by Parish Councils on Neighbourhood Plans

Fillongley Neighbourhood Plan Review was out for Regulation 14 consultation until 16th March 2025.  It has now been submitted to the Borough Council and a Report will be going to Planning & Development Board on 7th April with a recommendation that the Borough Council undertake the Regulation 16 Consultation.

Further details can be found on Fillongley `Parish Council's website

Austrey Neighbourhood Plan Review was out for consultation until 24th March 2025

Further details can be found on Austrey Parish Councils website

Applications for Area Designation

None

Approved Applications for Neighbourhood Area Designation

Kingsbury Parish Council

Atherstone Town Council

Corley Parish Council

Polesworth Parish Council

Curdworth Parish Council

There are several stages in the production of a Neighbourhood Plan and they are set out below

Parish/Town Council process for Neighbourhood Plan and North Warwickshire Borough Councils Role

Step 1: process is started by the Parish/Town Council

NWBC  publicise and agree the application to establish the boundary of the area to be designated (an exception to this is applications submitted by parish councils for designation of the whole of its area as a neighbourhood area. The local planning authority has to designate the neighbourhood area in such circumstances, so there are no publicity requirements)

Step 2: early community involvement, gather information and evidence, engage and consult with those living/working in the area

Step 3: draft plan is prepared for consultation of at least 6 weeks by the Parish/Town Council before formally submitting the Plan to NWBC

NWBC has a duty to provide advice and assistance

*Step 4: Plan submitted to Council who will publicise it and invite comments for a minimum period of 6 weeks. Any comments will be sent to the independent Examiner

Step 5: NWBC arrange and pay for independent examination. The independent examiner may recommend that the plan proceed to the referendum stage (for example, it meets all the legal requirements) or may suggest that modifications are needed to the plan before it can proceed to the referendum. Or they may recommend that it does not proceed to the referendum, if it does not meet the relevant legal requirements. In addition, they may recommend that the referendum area include individuals beyond the boundary of the neighbourhood area.

*Step 6: Plan goes for a local referendum. NWBC will arrange and fund the local referendum. The rules for the referendum are set out in the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations. Anybody registered to vote in the area covered by your Neighbourhood Plan will be entitled to vote. A simple majority of votes (over 50 per cent of those voting) in favour of your Neighbourhood Plan is sufficient for it to succeed.

*Step 7: Plan adopted by Council

Step 8: Adopted Plan gets reviewed - There is no requirement to review or update a neighbourhood plan. However, policies in a neighbourhood plan may become out of date.

Reviewing a Neighbourhood Plan

There are 3 types of modification which can be made to a neighbourhood plan or order. The process will depend on the degree of change which the modification involves: 

1) Minor (non-material) modifications to a neighbourhood plan or order are those which would not materially affect the policies in the plan or permission granted by the order. These may include correcting errors, such as a reference to a supporting document, and would not require examination or a referendum.  If the plan falls in to this category, the changes can be made and there will be no examination or referendum.

2) Material modifications which do not change the nature of the plan or order would require examination but not a referendum. This might, for example, entail the addition of a design code that builds on a pre-existing design policy, or the addition of a site or sites which, subject to the decision of the independent examiner, are not so significant or substantial as to change the nature of the plan.  Any reviews falling into this category will also see the plans going through 2 formal consultations before it is sent to the Examiner (Regulation 14 carried out by the Parish Council and Regulation 16 carried out by the Borough Council. 

3) Material modifications which do change the nature of the plan or order would require examination and a referendum. This might, for example, involve allocating significant new sites for development. Any reviews falling into this category will also see the plans going through 2 formal consultations before it is sent to the Examiner  and then onto Referendum (Regulation 14 carried out by the Parish Council and Regulation 16 carried out by the Borough Council.

North Warwickshire Borough Council request as a minimum that when submitting a Neighbourhood Plan that has been reviewed and amended that the Parish Council should submit the following 

1) Tracked changes version of the review Neighbourhood Plan (in word format)

2) Clean version of the review Neighbourhood Plan (in word format) 

3) A Statement of Modification (setting out the changes prior to Regulation 14 Consultation)

4) Covering letter or email to say that the Parish Council considers the review to be minor, non material or material modifications,

If the Modifications are Material and a Regulation 16 Consultation is required then in addition to the above being submitted, the Borough Council will also require

  • Basic Conditions Statement
  • Consultation Statement

*NWBC will also take a Board Report to Members seeking approval to go out for Consultation at Step 4, Referendum at Step 6 and also seeking approval to  adopt the plan at Step 7

NWBC have produced a Guide to Neighbourhood Planning

The following websites/documents contain further information which may be of use

For further information please email  planningpolicy@northwarks.gov.uk