Bradford on Avon Town Council plays a vital role in commenting on planning applications which affect the town.
We are a statutory consultee in the planning process, which means we must be informed of all planning applications and application amendments within the town.
However, we can only comment on planning applications in the same way as a member of the public.
These comments are decided by our delegated planning committee which meets every week to discuss local planning applications.
Can I comment on planning applications?
Members of the public are invited to comment on planning applications before decisions are made.
For more information about commenting on a planning application, please visit Wiltshire Council’s website.
You can search for planning applications (past and present) on Wiltshire Council’s Planning & Building Control Public Register.
Who makes the final decision?
Wiltshire Council is the planning authority and they make the decision on planning applications.
More information on the planning and appeal process can be found on the Wiltshire Council website.
Neighbourhood Planning
Bradford on Avon’s Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in October 2017, following a town vote (a referendum) in September 2017.
An adopted Neighbourhood Plan is often referred to as a made plan.
Town Vision
In March 2024, we adopted a Town Vision which collects and explains a set of hopes and aspirations for Bradford on Avon.
We have also published our draft Town Vision, a document that sets out our ambitions for the future of the town.
These are generally quite strategic – and they describe what we’d like to see happen in Bradford on Avon in the future.
It’s an important document that has been written by the town council, however it doesn’t belong to the town council.
The vision has been shaped by what people have told us about the town – and by what they would like to see happen in the town.
Protocol for community engagement – for potential development
As part of our role in neighbourhood planning, we’ve written an engagement protocol for (potential) development in Bradford on Avon.
This protocol aims to ensure that future development in Bradford on Avon:
- is of a high standard
- reflects local challenges and concerns
- aligns with the town’s aspirations and values, as described in the town vision and Bradford on Avon’s Neighbourhood Plan.
We hope this protocol will lead to better outcomes for the town, both now and in the future. It’s also designed to help applicants submit planning applications that align with our aims and reflect what the community wants.
The protocol contains principles that can apply and be used by developments of any size, from minor development (of 10 dwellings or less) to bigger sites that are being proposed for larger developments.