The Planning Policy Committee of West Northamptonshire Council was scheduled to discuss the Buckinghamshire Local Plan, including a response to a consultation on new and expanded settlements and a request regarding unmet housing need. The committee was also set to consider Spatial Development Strategies, an update on Neighbourhood Plans and Neighbouring Authority Local Plans, and the council's five-year land supply position.

Buckinghamshire Local Plan - Response to Consultation and Unmet Housing Need Request

The committee was scheduled to consider a formal consultation response to Buckinghamshire Council regarding its New and Expanded Settlements Study (NESS). This study identifies potential housing allocations adjacent to West Northamptonshire. The report also addressed a request from Buckinghamshire Council for West Northamptonshire to accommodate unmet housing need, including pitches and plots for Gypsy and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

The draft response to the NESS consultation raised concerns about two specific sites: Beachampton and Turweston. Regarding Turweston, the response highlighted potential negative impacts on the historic environment and landscape of West Northamptonshire, particularly concerning the town of Brackley and the conservation area of Evenley. It was noted that the proposed development at Turweston could lead to the coalescence of settlements and would be contrary to existing local plan policies. Concerns were also raised about connectivity and infrastructure burdens on West Northamptonshire. For Beachampton, while impacts were considered more limited, concerns about the scale of development and its effect on West Northamptonshire's infrastructure were still noted.

In response to Buckinghamshire's request for unmet housing need, the recommendation was that West Northamptonshire Council would not accommodate any additional Gypsy, Traveller, and Travelling Showpeople pitches at this time. This decision was based on the fact that the council was still analysing responses to its own Local Plan consultation and had not yet determined its own housing needs or the provision for Gypsies, Travellers, and Travelling Showpeople. The report referenced paragraphs 24-28 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) regarding the need for effective cooperation between authorities.

Spatial Development Strategies

The committee was to be informed about a recent government consultation on Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs) and to confirm a holding response that had already been submitted. SDSs are a form of mandatory strategic planning introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. The consultation sought views on proposed SDS geographies, with West Northamptonshire's area not being explicitly defined.

The council's preferred approach, as outlined in the holding response, was to align the SDS geography with proposed devolution arrangements, favouring a South Midlands footprint which includes Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, and Northamptonshire. This preference is based on over two decades of collaboration, functional economic alignment, and shared strengths in sectors like high-performance technologies and advanced manufacturing. The report noted the importance of scale for spatial planning and devolution, referencing a similar scale to the recently established East Midlands Combined County Authority. The council also indicated that if a South Midlands footprint was not agreed, it would propose a Northamptonshire-only SDS, working in partnership between North and West Northamptonshire Councils. The report also mentioned the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor and the potential for a new Universal Studios theme park near Milton Keynes as factors influencing strategic planning.

Neighbourhood Plans and Neighbouring Authority Local Plans - Update

This agenda item was scheduled to provide an update on neighbourhood planning activity within West Northamptonshire and the local plan progress of neighbouring authorities. The report highlighted that there are currently 33 adopted neighbourhood plans in West Northamptonshire, with several more in various stages of development. The Localism Act 2011 provides for communities to shape development through Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs), which must meet basic conditions such as having regard to national policy and contributing to sustainable development.

The report also detailed the planning activities of neighbouring councils, including Buckinghamshire Council's Local Plan, which has formally requested West Northamptonshire's assistance in accommodating housing need. Other neighbouring authorities mentioned include Cherwell, Harborough, Milton Keynes, North Northamptonshire, Stratford-on-Avon, and Rugby, with updates on their respective local plan timelines and any relevant cross-boundary considerations. The report also noted a government consultation on a New Towns Draft Programme, which includes Milton Keynes as a potential location for significant housing growth.

Five Year Land Supply Position - Update

The committee was to be informed about a recent planning appeal decision that has implications for West Northamptonshire's five-year housing land supply. National planning policy requires local authorities to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites. A Housing Land Availability Report produced in June 2025 indicated a 5.5-year supply as of April 2025. However, an Inspector at a recent appeal concerning a site in Brackley concluded that the council could not demonstrate a five-year supply.

The report detailed how the Inspector's decision was influenced by the assessment of specific large sites, such as the Northampton Railway Station Car Park, N4 Northampton West Phase 5, and Upton Farm, Northampton, where the Inspector questioned the deliverability within the five-year timeframe. The report highlighted the challenge for councils in obtaining sufficient evidence from developers to confirm build-out rates. Until a new assessment, with a base date of April 2026, is completed and reported, the council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, meaning the tilted balance applies, creating a presumption in favour of sustainable development as outlined in paragraph 11 of the NPPF. This situation is expected to lead to an increase in speculative planning applications.