Neighbourhood Plan

In 2015 Shillingstone became the first village in Dorset to have its own Neighbourhood Plan to influence and inform development in the village.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

A neighbourhood plan allows communities to have a say in the future of the places where they live and work. It gives a level of decision making in producing a local plan with real legal weight that helps direct development in your local area. It can help you to:

  • choose where you want new homes, shops and offices to be built
  • have your say on what those new buildings should look like
  • influence the granting of planning permission for the new buildings you want to see go ahead

Shillingstone's Roadmap to a Neighbourhood Plan

Parish Council sub-committee began drafting the neighbourhood plan in the summer of 2015 which was opened for consultation later that year. 

In December 2016 the North Dorset District Council agreed to progress the proposed plan for local referendum. 

In February 2017 Shillingstone held a referendum which was approved by 88% of the residents, with 299 votes cast. 

On 21st February 2017 the Shillingstone neighbourhood plan was integrated into the overall development plan for North Dorset.    

The key plan documents are identified below; click on the document to download:


Following Shillingstone's submitted plan there are now 20 Parish Councils in Dorset that have successfully seen their neighbourhood plans integrated into the development plans for the county (see map below).

Map depicting Parish Neighbourhood Plans in Dorset (2020)
Map depicting Parish Neighbourhood Plans in Dorset (2020)