Acton Neighbourhood Plan
The Acton Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been prepared by the Acton Parish Council and the local community and will be used to help guide and shape future development in the plan's area.
Reg 20 Formal adoption (23 July 2024)
In an 'out of meeting' decision published on Tuesday 23 July 2024, Babergh District Council agreed to adopt ('make) the Acton NDP.
This NDP, which covers the plan period to 2037, now forms part of the development plan and will be used to help determine planning applications in the parish unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
- Read the adopted version of the Acton NDP
- Read the adoption Decision Statement
- See the 'out of meeting' request
Supporting Evidence
The following documents act as supporting evidence for the adopted NDP:
- Design Guidelines & Codes Report (AECOM, Mar 2024)
- Housing Needs Assessment Report (AECOM, Oct 2022)
- Acton Data Profile (June 2023)
Previous stages...
Local Referendum (18 July 2024)
A local referendum on the Acton NDP was held on 18 July 2024. The question asked of those entitled to vote was: "Do you want Babergh District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Acton to help it decide planning applications on the Neighbourhood Plan Area?"
- See the declared result (a majority yes vote)
Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (5 March 2024)
New procedures agreed in September 2021 meant that a NDP could be advanced to a referendum without Cabinet approval where there was no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations in full. That applied in this case, and the decision was confirmed through publication of the following statement:
Reg 17 Examination (Final Report - 29 Feb 2024)
Babergh District Council appointed Janet Cheesley BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI to carry out an independent examination of the Acton NDP. The examination was conducted through written correspondence.
On 29 February 2024, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommended that, subject to modification, this NDP met the Basic Condition tests and that it should proceed to a local referendum
- Read the Acton NDP Exam Report (Feb 2024)
- See also the Examination Correspondence document (last updated 8 Dec 2023)
Reg 17 Examination (Focused consultation - ended 26 Jan 2024)
In late December 2023, the Government published a new NPPF. A focused consultation exercise was undertaken to allow for new comments to be made on the relevant basic condition test. The consultation period ran from 10 - 26 January 2024.
A copy of the consultation letter and all made representations is published below:
Reg 16 Submission consultation (23 Oct to 6 Dec 2023)
The submission draft Acton NDP was published for consultation between 23 October and 6 December 2023.
The Parish Council (the Qualifying Body) had formally submitted the following documents:
- Map identifying the NDP Area
- The submission draft Acton NDP 2022 – 2037
- A Consultation Statement
- A Basic Conditions Statement
- A pre-examination version of the Design Guidelines & Codes Report (AECOM, Aug 2023)
- Copies of the SEA & HRA Screening Reports and Determination Notices (see under SEA/HRA section below)
- A number of other supporting documents (now published above with the adopted NDP)
An assessment on how this NDP met the basic conditions formed part of the examination. At the time of submission, our initial checks suggested that the relevant requirements had been met. See our Regulation 15 Checklist.
Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the examiner and, with the exception of personal details, be published on this website.
SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (May 2023)
The pre-submission draft NDP was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Assessment (HRA) were required. Both were 'screened-out'. The relevant reports and determination notices are published below:
- Read the Acton NDP SEA Screening Opinion (LUC, Apr 2023)
- Read the Acton NDP SEA Determination Notice (May 2023)
- Read the Acton NDP HRA Screening Report (LUC, Apr 2023)
- Read the Acton NDP HRA Determination Notice (May 2023)
Reg 14 Pre-submission consultation (3 April to 22 May 2023)
Pre-submission consultation on the draft NDP ended on 22 May 2023.