As a community, we’re reviewing Bradford on Avon’s Neighbourhood Plan which was adopted (made) in 2017.
In due course, this will result in an updated plan: the second edition of our Neighbourhood Plan.
The review is being led by a steering group made up of members of the Bradford on Avon community and the town council.
Detailed work across five key topics is being completed by topic groups (with each topic group supported the steering group)
The topic groups are looking at the following:
- Sustainable Development & Climate Change
- Built Environment: Conservation & Design
- Living and Working: Housing, Jobs & Community Wellbeing
- Natural Environment: Biodiversity, Green & Blue Infrastructure
- Transport.
The town council is the Qualifying Body responsible for the Neighbourhood Plan review.
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
A Neighbourhood Plan is a strategic document that sets out planning policies for an area. It can do things like:
- protect local green spaces
- encourage well-designed places
- bring forward housing (development) that meets local needs and aspirations.
Importantly, Wiltshire Council takes the current Neighbourhood Plan into account when making decisions on planning applications in Bradford on Avon.
What’s happening currently?
The topic groups are currently gathering evidence to support and shape the Neighbourhood Plan review.
The evidence being gathered will enable us to understand the challenges and issues facing the town – as well as the opportunities for the town.
A key question that we need evidence to understand is whether the new Neighbourhood Plan should allocate (or identify) specific sites for future development in the town.
Allocating sites is a powerful way for the community to be proactive when it comes to development. It allows the town’s community to have more say over:
- where development goes
- what is needed as part of the development
- design quality and housing types.
More information about allocating sites and other aspects of the Neighbourhood Plan review is available below.
Current timeframe
From May 2026, we think it will take our new Neighbourhood Plan around a year to be progressed through its various stages.
In the meantime, planning applications can be submitted to Wiltshire Council by landowners at any time.
Our current (and in time, new) Neighbourhood Plan is part of the Wiltshire development plan that will be used by Wiltshire Council, alongside national planning policy, to determine whether permission is granted or not.
Important documents