The Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan was made on 29 May 2024. It now forms part of the Wiltshire Council Development Plan. The policies in the Neighbourhood Plan will be given full weight when assessing planning applications that affect land in Chippenham Parish. This followed a successful referendum result on 23 May 2024, with 86% of those who voted in the public referendum, voting YES to adopting the Plan.
A neighbourhood plan is a community-led framework for guiding the future development and growth of an area. It may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities, or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. All neighbourhood plans must meet a set of ‘basic conditions’.
A neighbourhood plan relates to the use and development of land and associated social, economic and environmental issues. It may deal with a wide range of issues (like housing, employment, heritage and transport) or it may focus on one or two issues that are of particular importance in a local area.
A neighbourhood plan will be subject to independent examination and local referendum.
The Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan forms part of the Development Plan for the area which Wiltshire Council, as the Local Planning Authority, uses to make decisions on planning applications within Chippenham Parish.
The Plan covers the whole of Chippenham Parish.
Chippenham Town Council was the ‘qualifying body’ that led on the Plan. It set up a Steering Group in November 2018 comprising of 6 Town Councillors and 6 members of the community, who were responsible for the day to day management of the Neighbourhood Plan, and who were supported by the Town Council’s Head of Planning, administrative officers, and the Council’s retained Planning Consultant.
We began the Plan process with the formation of the Steering Group in November 2018 and completed the process in May 2024 following a successful referendum outcome. The Plan covers the period up to 2038, the same period that will be covered by the Wiltshire Local Plan Review. Ideally the Neighbourhood Plan would be reviewed every five years.
Neighbourhood planning is about shaping development of a local area in a positive manner. It is not a tool to be used to prevent development proposals from taking place. Policies in a neighbourhood plan should comply with existing and emerging strategic and national policies. Neighbourhood plans are not able to promote less development than set out in Wiltshire Council’s Local Plan or national guidance, but they can promote more. A neighbourhood plan can be used to ensure that any development is in line with the wishes of the community and is sympathetic to local need.
The Neighbourhood Plan is a statutory planning document, forming part of the Wiltshire Development Plan. The policies within the Neighbourhood Plan will be given significant weight by Wiltshire Council Planners when making decisions on planning applications in Chippenham Parish.
Chippenham Town Council funded the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan, with the assistance of some government grant funding. Wiltshire Council paid for the independent examination and the referendum, as well as providing technical advice and practical support.
Neighbourhood Plan documents + national, strategic and local planning policy or background documents that will influence the Plan:
What Groups Worked on the Neighbourhood Plan?
The Steering Group was the body appointed to manage and lead on the Neighbourhood Plan. They were charged with overseeing and advising on the preparation and consultation of the Plan - through its different stages right up to Referendum. It operated on a non-political basis and comprised six Town Councillors and six members of the public. The Steering Group reported to Chippenham Town Council, as the accountable body.
Between October 2019-September 2020 seven Topic Groups were in existence, comprising of 40+ volunteers from the local community, reporting to the Steering Group. The Topic Groups were: Housing, Town Centre, Economy, Transport, Green Infrastructure, Community Infrastructure, and Sustainability & Climate Change. The Topic Groups gathered evidence to help create and support draft planning policies, and in some cases began drafting those policies.
Who was on the Steering Group?
Chairman: Councillor Nick Murry
Vice Chairman : Councillor John Scragg
Steering Group Agendas and Minutes
