Bures Neighbourhood Plan

Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary are preparing a joint Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). When complete, it will be used to help guide and shape future development across the two parishes.

This NDP also covers the two district council areas of Babergh and Braintree, with Babergh District Council acting as the lead local authority. Please also visit Braintree District Council's website for information about this NDP.

Latest news...

Reg 17 Examination (start date tbc)

By mutual agreement, Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FRSA AoU has been appointed to carry out an independent examination of the Bures NDP. More information on this will be published in the New Year.

Previous stages...

Reg 16 Submission consultation (ended 14 Nov 2025)

The Bures NDP was submitted to Babergh District Council and Braintree District Council earlier this year. In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) both Councils made this NDP available for public consultation between 29 September and 14 November 2025.

A list of the submitted documents appears below. 

• A Map identifying the Bures NDP Area
• The submission draft Bures NDP 2021 - 2037
• A Consultation Statement
• A Basic Conditions Statement
• A Design Guidance and Codes document (AECOM, Nov 2023)
• A Housing Needs Survey (RCEE, May 2021)
• A Housing Needs Assessment (AECOM, Dec 2022)
• Copies of the Preliminary SEA HRA Screening Assessment (CCP, 2024) and our joint Determination Notice (Nov 2024), which are published further below.

An assessment on how this NDP meets the basic condition tests will form part of the examination. Initial checks carried out by both district councils suggest that the relevant procedural requirements had been met. See our Regulation 15 Checklist.

Respondents were reminded that their comments could not be treated as confidential and that, with the exception of personal contact details, they would be made publicly accessible on both local authority websites. Those, and the thoughts of two parish councils on these are published below:

• See the Reg 16 Consultation responses

SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (Nov 2024)

The pre-submission draft Bures NDP was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Assessment (HRA) were required. Both were 'screened out'. 

The screening assessment, carried out by the consultants appointed by the Bures NDP Team, and the joint Determination Notice issued by Babergh District Council and Braintree District Council are published below:

• Read the Bures NDP Preliminary SEA HRA Screening Assessment (CCP, 2024)
• Read the Bures NDP SEA HRA Determination Notice (Nov 2024)

Reg 14 pre-submission consultation (2 Sept to 28 Oct 2024)

Consultation on the pre-submission draft Bures NDP by the two parish councils closed on 28 October 2024. For more information, please visit the Bures NP Public Consultation webpage.

Reg 7 Area Designation (Nov 2021)

A joint application made by Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary to designate their two parishes as a single NDP Area was received and consulted on by Braintree and Babergh District Councils between 1 September and 15 October 2021. No objections were received. 

In accordance with their governance procedures, the two planning authorities agreed to designate the Bures NDP Area. 

• See the Bures NDP Area Designation notice
• See the Area Designation Application (as submitted to Babergh)
• View a Map of Bures NDP Area