Bingley Neighbourhood Development Plan
2. The Role and Scope of the Neighbourhood Plan Comment
2.0.1 Bingley Town Council applied for designation of the Neighbourhood Area for its Neighbourhood Plan in June 2017 with an area based on the Parish boundary. This was approved by Bradford Council on 30th August 2017. The Neighbourhood Area is set out in Figure 1.
2.0.2 It should be noted that the Neighbourhood Plan Area was formed in consultation with residents and is based on the whole Parish. This is a larger area than the Bingley Sub-Area referred to in emerging local plan documents. The Bingley Sub-Area misses out Micklethwaite, Cottingley and other outlying parts of the Parish.
2.0.3 This section of the Neighbourhood Plan confirms that the Plan has been prepared in relation to the following:
- A designated Neighbourhood Area.
- Meeting Basic Conditions requirements for the preparation of neighbourhood plans.
- Screening the likelihood of potentially significant environmental effects arising from Plan proposals.
- Contributing to the achievement of sustainable development.
- Ensuring broad conformity with national policies and strategic policies in adopted local plans.
- A time period for which the Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared.
- Extensive public consultation and engagement in the formation of the Plan.
Figure 1: Bingley Neighbourhood Area Boundary – approved 30th August 2017
2.1 Neighbourhood Area Designation
2.1.1 Bingley Town Council applied for designation of the Neighbourhood Area in July 2017 with an area based on the Parish boundary. This was approved by Bradford Metropolitan District Council (hereafter referred to as Bradford Council) on 30th August 2017. The Neighbourhood Area is shown in Figure 1 and details of the application and decision are set out in the Basic Conditions Statement.
2.1.2 It should be noted that the Neighbourhood Plan Area was formed in consultation with residents and is based on the whole Parish. This is a larger area than the Bingley Sub-Area referred to in emerging Local Plan documents. The Bingley Sub-Area misses out Micklethwaite, Cottingley and other outlying parts of the Parish.
2.2 Basic Conditions for the Neighbourhood Plan
2.2.1 Neighbourhood plans must operate in accordance with guidance set out in the NPPF (December 2024) which says that succinct and up-to-date plans should provide a positive vision for the future of each area; a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic, social and environmental priorities; and a platform for local people to shape their surroundings. This applies to plans at all levels and so neighbourhood plans should play their part in the planning system in the same way.
2.2.2 A key reference to the role of neighbourhood planning is set out in Paragraph 30 of the NPPF. Here, it says neighbourhood plans give communities the power to develop a shared vision for their areas and through them shape, direct and help to deliver sustainable development, by influencing local planning decisions as part of the statutory development plan.
2.2.3 Neighbourhood plans are required to meet Basic Conditions set out in paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as applied to Neighbourhood Development Plans by section 38A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A Basic Conditions Statement is published alongside the Neighbourhood Plan to demonstrate how the Plan meets basic conditions.
2.2.4 Importantly, neighbourhood plans should not promote less development than set out in the strategic policies for the area or undermine those strategic policies (NPPF Paragraph 30). A key requirement is that neighbourhood plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies contained in any development plan that covers their area (NPPF footnote 17).
2.2.5 Once the Neighbourhood Plan has been brought into force, it will comprise part of the development plan, and its policies will be considered alongside Local Plan policies under section 38(6) of the 1990 Act when determining planning applications. Where they are in conflict, Neighbourhood Plan policies will take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in the Local Plan covering the Neighbourhood Area, until they are superseded by strategic or nonstrategic policies that are adopted subsequently (NPPF Paragraph 31).
2.3 Potentially Significant Environmental Effects
2.3.1 The NPPF (Footnote 18) says that neighbourhood plans may require Habitat Regulations Assessments (HRA) or Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), but only where there are potentially significant environmental effects arising from their implementation. HRA or SEA are more likely to be required where there are environmental assets present which are sensitive to the effects of development, and where a neighbourhood plan which allocates sites for development or would in other ways promote development, could potentially generate impacts on them.
2.3.2 The Neighbourhood Plan does not propose to allocate sites for development or promote additional development affecting sensitive sites or create additional visitor pressures on sensitive sites. A Screening Opinion from Bradford Council, which has been subject to the required period of consultation with the prescribed statutory consultees, has confirmed that HRA/SEA is not required for the Neighbourhood Plan.
2.4 Requirement to Promote Sustainable Development
2.4.1 The NPPF requires that the Bingley Neighbourhood Plan should seek to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development through meeting economic, social and environmental objectives (set out in paragraph 8 of the NPPF). The Bingley Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared with these requirements in mind. The Basic Conditions Statement published alongside the Neighbourhood Plan demonstrates how policies in the plan will contribute to sustainable development objectives.
2.5 Requirement for Conformity with Adopted Plans
2.5.1 Basic Conditions are set down in regulations and these require that policies in neighbourhood plans must have regard to national policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State; and they must be in broad conformity with the strategic policies contained in the development plan for the area. The Basic Conditions Statement demonstrates how the policies of the plan conform with national and local policies.
2.6 National Planning Policies
2.6.1 The current version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published on 12 December 2024. The NPPF sets out national planning policies in a single document and in so doing sets the framework for plan-making and decision-making on development proposals. The Framework explains the relationship between the NPPF, Local Plans and neighbourhood plans. This influences how local planning authorities approach the development of local plan policies and how they regard policies as strategic or non-strategic in nature. The NPPF identifies matters on which the government thinks local communities through neighbourhood plans can contribute to the achievement of national policy goals and also express their own ambitions and objectives.
2.6.2 Under transitional arrangements, previous NPPF policies apply provided the Neighbourhood Plan has been submitted to the local planning authority under Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) on or before the 12 March 2025.
2.7 Local Plans Context
2.7.1 The development plan for the Bingley Neighbourhood Area comprises the following development plan documents:
- The Core Strategy which was adopted by Bradford Council on 18 July 2017. The Core Strategy forms part of the statutory Development Plan for the Bradford District. The Core Strategy covers a period of 15 to 20 years, ending in 2030.
- The Bradford District Replacement Unitary Development Plan (RUDP) which was formally adopted in October 2005. The policies were saved by the Secretary of State in 2008. The Council continues to have regard to the remaining Replacement Unitary Development Plan 'saved' policies.
- The Waste Management DPD which was adopted by Bradford Council on 17 October 2017. It forecasts requirements and sets objectives for achievement by 2030.
2.7.2 Bradford Council is preparing a new Local Plan to meet planned requirements for the period 2020 to 2038. A Regulation 18 'Preferred Options' Consultation was undertaken in February and March 2021.
2.8 Time Period for the Neighbourhood Plan
2.8.1 The intention of this Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that it is in conformity with strategic policies in adopted plans, with requirements in the NPPF and with emerging Local Plans in preparation where possible. Adopted Plans end in 2030 and emerging plans are not progressed sufficiently to provide clarity on the emerging Local Plan time period (currently 2038).
2.9 Consultation with the Community
2.9.1 Engagement of the local community is regarded as essential in the developing a vision and objectives for the future development of neighbourhoods and to provide the detailed information to support non-strategic policies that can make a difference to localities.
2.9.2 The preparation of the Bingley Neighbourhood Plan has been supported by engagement and consultation in a variety of forms at different stages. These are summarised in the consultation statement.
2.10 Supporting Documents
2.10.1 A great deal of work has been undertaken by local volunteers to support the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan. Technical support has also been provided by AECOM and our planning consultant to provide evidence to support policies. Documents which support the content of the Neighbourhood Plan and which rest in the document library are listed below.
- Bingley Town Centre and Local Centres Design Code (AECOM, 2020)
- Bingley Parish Neighbourhood Plan Masterplan (AECOM, 2020 with update 2023)
- Bingley Housing Needs Assessment (AECOM, 2020)
- Milner Field Estate Special Character Area Assessment (2022)
- Note on Town Centre Boundary Considerations 30.11.22 (APL, November 2022)
- SEA/HRA Screening Report (AECOM, 2023)
- Historical Development of the Villages of Bingley Parish (2022)
