Neighbourhood Plan - Murton Parish, York
Table of contents

The Planning Framework

This section briefly explains how the new Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan fits in to the bigger planning framework that already exists at city and national levels.

Devolving planning powers to communities

The Localism Act[1] 2011 introduced new rights and powers for communities. These added a new ‘neighbourhood’ layer to the planning system which is central to the package of planning reforms aimed at giving people the opportunity to shape the places in which they live. At the heart of this new neighbourhood layer is the Neighbourhood Plan.

The Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan

Once completed and approved, the Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan becomes part of the statutory development plan for planning and allows our community to develop a vision and policies to shape the future development of the Parish.

How will Murton’s Plan fit into the bigger picture?

As well as giving Murton its own planning power, the Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan will also be part of the larger planning framework and must reflect this in three specific ways.

  1. First, it must meet the ‘basic conditions’ set out in planning legislation[2]. These are:
    • having regard to national planning policies and guidance;
    • being in general conformity with strategic local policy;
    • achieving sustainable development;
    • not breaching EU Obligations.
    In addition, the Neighbourhood Plan must comply with human rights legislation.
  2. Second, it must be guided by the National Planning Policy Framework[3] (NPPF). The NPPF sets out three overarching objectives for achieving sustainable development, economic, social and environmental[4]:
    1. an economic objective — to help build a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved productivity; and by identifying and coordinating the provision of infrastructure;
    2. a social objective — to support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by ensuring that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by fostering a well-designed and safe built environment, with accessible services and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being; and
    3. an environmental objective — to contribute to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; including making effective use of land, helping to improve biodiversity, using natural. resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy
  3. Third, the Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan must also be guided by the emerging City of York Local Plan, which gives ‘the strategy vision for the city’[5].

The Murton Parish Neighbourhood Plan is intended to cover the period from 2020 to the end of 2033. During this time the Parish Council will monitor the plan and consider whether any revisions are necessary[6].

  1. Localism Act 2011 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/contents/enacted ↩
  2. Based on Guidance. Neighbourhood Planning Ministry of Housing, Communications and Local Government. March 2014. Revised September 2018 ↩
  3. National Planning Policy Framework, Ministry of Housing, Communications and Local Government. February 2019 ↩
  4. National Planning Policy Framework, Ministry of Housing, Communications and Local Government. February 2019, para 8 ↩
  5. City of York Local Plan Pre Publication Draft Regulation 19 Consultation. February 2018, p 3 para 3.1.11 ↩
  6. National Planning Policy Framework Ministry of Housing, Communications and Local Government. February 2019, para 233 ↩