Find out how neighbourhood plans are used to consider all planning applications in Torbay alongside the Local Plan.
Under the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations and section 61F of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Paignton Neighbourhood Forum ceased to formally exist from Thursday 7 December 2022.
On 19 June 2019 Full Council agreed to make (or to adopt) all three Neighbourhood Plans across Torbay after they were supported by a majority of those voting at Referendum on 2 May 2019. These Plans now form part of the Development Plan.
There are four Neighbourhood Areas designated across Torbay (100% coverage) and each area has prepared a Neighbourhood Plan. These plans have all been through the statutory process including local referendums and have been formally made by Full Council. These plans now form part of the Development Plan, alongside the Local Plan.
Neighbourhood Plans help local communities play a direct role in planning the areas in which they live and work.
Policies included in Neighbourhood plans are related to the use of land in the area, or to spatial matters (i.e. aspects that affect how a place works). They will be used to consider all planning applications in the respective areas, alongside the Local Plan.
In Torquay and Paignton, plans have been prepared by Neighbourhood Forums. A new neighbourhood area and Forum covering the Broadsands, Churston and Galmpton (BGC) villages was approved by Council on 4 November 2021. Brixham Town Council is the neighbourhood planning body (the “Qualifying Body”) for the town of Brixham.
Paignton Neighbourhood Forum was last designated on 7 December 2017. A designation ceases to have effect at the end of the period of 5 years (beginning with the day on which it is made). Therefore, Paignton Neighbourhood Forum no longer has a formal status from 7 December 2022. This does not affect the validity of the adopted, Neighbourhood Plan. Paignton Neighbourhood Forum has not submitted an application for re-designation and as a consequence no longer has formal status.
The Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan was prepared by the previous Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan Group, prior to this area splitting into the BCG Villages Forum and Brixham Town Council. The Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan remains in force across the two areas until replaced by any new Plans.
The plans themselves have been prepared by the community with support from, but independently of, Torbay Council.
Regardless of any Neighbourhood Forum status, the three adopted Neighbourhood Plans remain part of the Torbay Development Plan and can be found on the respective links below. More information is also available on the respective Council webpages and in the FAQ’s. The Neighbourhood Forums also have their own websites:
Independent Examiners were appointed in agreement with the Neighbourhood Forums in Spring 2018. Mrs. Deborah McCann was appointed for both the Paignton and Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plans, and Mr. Nigel McGurk was appointed for the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan. The Examinations commenced in April 2018. The Examiner's Reports and further details can be found on the respective pages below. All representations submitted on the Neighbourhood Plans during or after the Examinations can be viewed on the Submission Neighbourhood Plans Representations page.
Neighbourhood Plans were considered by full Council, as Local Planning Authority (LPA), on Thursday 15 November 2018 and the Council agreed that all three Decision Statements be adopted and published and that the Plans, as modified to meet the legal basic conditions, are submitted to a Referendum. The minutes of the Council meeting, including the decision statements, are included on the Council meeting's page.
The referendum was held on 2 May 2019 for each of the Neighbourhood Plans. The results can be found on the Neighbourhood Plan Referendum 2019 page.
On 19 June 2019 these Plans were formally made (adopted) by Full Council. The minutes of the meeting are available here Council Meeting page.