Neighbourhood Plan

In 2015 Shillingstone became one of the first villages in Dorset to have its own Neighbourhood Plan to influence and inform development in the village. The 'made' Shillingstone Neighbourhood Plan (SNP) has a duration running from 2016 through to March 2031.

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

December 2016: North Dorset District Council agreed to progress the proposed plan for local referendum.
February 2017: Shillingstone held a referendum which was approved by 88% of the residents, with 299 votes cast.
21st February 2017: the Shillingstone neighbourhood plan was integrated into the overall development plan for North Dorset.
May 2025: Shillingstone Parish Council unveiled the review of the SNP, and kick-started Regulation 14 of the process - a consultation with the community and statutory consultees, which ran from June to early August, 2025.
August 2025: Dorset Council Local Plan. Dorset Council delivered their Local Plan and announced that the consultation period would run until October 13th, 2025. This impacted the timeline for the delivery of our own Neighbourhood Plan, with the necessary review of feedback from the regulation 14 consultation being deferred until after the completion of the DC Local Plan.

The 2025-26 Review

Although the 'made' Neighbourhood Plan runs until 2031, it was evident that the effectiveness of the SNP had diminished since it's adoption in 2016, and it was proposed that the Parish Council embark on a review, which is recommended at intervals up to every 5 years of it’s lifetime. The benefits of a refresh are:

Keeps the plan up-to-date: Ensures alignment with current Local Plans and national policies.
Reflects evolving community needs: Addresses changes in demographics, economy, and local priorities.
Improves policy effectiveness: Allows for review and adjustment of existing policies based on evidence.
Maintains community engagement: Provides opportunities to re-involve residents in shaping their area.
Strengthens legal standing: Ensures the plan carries sufficient weight in planning decisions.
Protects CIL benefits: Helps maintain eligibility for a higher share of Community Infrastructure Levy*. Currently developments within North Dorset developers contributions for infrastructure will be secured through a Section 106 agreement, not the Community Infrastructure Levy. This situation is expected to change with the future adoption of a Dorset-wide CIL in conjunction with the adoption of the future Dorset Council Local Plan.
Avoids major revisions later: Regular updates prevent the need for more complex changes in the future.

On the 7th of May 2026, the Parish Council unveiled the refreshed version of the plan, which incorporated the feedback from residents and key stakeholders, at the Annual Parish Meeting, and voted unanimously to submit the revised document to Dorset Council to progress to the next stage of the process - Regulation 16 consultation. This will take place between 12 June and 24 July 2026.

To view the Dorset Council consultation site use the link - Dorset Council - Shillingstone Parish Neighbourhood Plan Consultation

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

Review Documentation:-

Printed copies of the submitted version of the Shillingstone Parish Neighbourhood Plan April 2026 will be available to review at the locations listed below (opening hours apply), and a limited number of printed copies of the survey sheets will also be made available.

Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone
Old Ox Inn, Shillingstone
Portman Hall, Shillingstone
Library, Sturminster Newton

Any issues please do contact the clerk via e-mail or by phone

Archived Documents for Reference:-