Neighbourhood Planning Activity in Cornwall

Protected neighbourhood plans (NDPs)

Most neighbourhood plan housing policies now have less influence when planning applications are decided because Cornwall does not currently have a 5 year land supply of housing land.  Some neighbourhood plans still have extra protection because they are less than 5 years old and allocate sites for new homes.  The plans in the protected NDPs guide note currently meet these national planning policy requirements.

Protected NDPs

Changes to national planning polices and interim advice

The Government published a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on 17 August 2026.  The new rules started on the same day so they must now be used when making planning decisions.  If a local plan or neighbourhood plan policy does not fit with the new national policies it may carry less weight when decisions are made.

We have checked our local plan policies to see how well they match the new NPPF.  Our Interim Planning Position Policy Statement has been updated to show:

• Which policies we think are inconsistent or out of date and which ones can still be used

• How our policies reflect and are consistent with national policies

• How we make positive planning decisions

• Our principles for development

• Information about how we will write the new Local Plan

The Interim Statement was revised in September 2026 to reflect the new NPPF.  The original was consulted on between 24 January and 21 February 2025 and adopted by the Cornwall Growth Board on 27 March 2025.

Interim Policy Statement

View planning news affecting neighbourhood plans:

Latest news including planning changes

Neighbourhood Plans in Cornwall

Before a neighbourhood plan can be prepared, you must apply to us to designate a neighbourhood area: 

• Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan

• Fill in our letter template explaining why the area is appropriate to be designated as a neighbourhood area

• Attach your map showing the proposed designation area

• Contact us for our mapping service if you need a map: neighbourhoodplanning@cornwall.gov.uk

• A cluster is an area covering more than one parish. If it is a cluster we will publish your application on the online planning register for at least 6 weeks. This is so that local people have time to make representations

Our neighbourhood planning activity map shows the progress of neighbourhood plans across Cornwall.

Neighbourhood Plan Updates

• Callington and Kelly Bray - Referendum date published

• Poundstock - Additional consultation following recent national legislative changes dates published 

You can find more information about neighbourhood plan updates below.

Progress of Neighbourhood Plans in Cornwall and Documents

Planning decisions must be made in accordance with the adopted development plans listed below. This is unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

• Cornwall Local Plan which includes the:

  • Site Allocations DPD

  • Climate Emergency DPD

• National Planning Policy Framework (where relevant)

• any made neighbourhood plan

You can view the active neighbourhood planning proposals through the online planning register. Either select the neighbourhood plan below or type the reference directly into the register. Please make sure you are on the Documents tab. This will display all the documents and comments that have been added to the application. Please reorder the list of documents by date published to bring the current documents to the top.

The neighbourhood plan referendum version will be made if more than 50% of people vote in favour of us using the neighbourhood plan to help determine planning applications in the neighbourhood plan area. The made version will be under the Document Type: Plan – Approved Amendments, Description: Made NDP.