Neighbourhood planning is a right for communities introduced through the Localism Act 2011. Communities can shape development in their areas through the production of Neighbourhood Development Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.
Neighbourhood Development Plans become part of the Local Plan and the policies contained within them are then used in the determination of planning applications.

Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan
Pre Submission Consultation
To read or download a copy of the documents supporting the consultation, please find links below:
- Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan (Pre Submission version) - Click here to view
- Bovey parish Neighbourhood Plan Appendices - Click here to view
- Habitat Regulation Assessment of the Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report of the Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Summarised feedback from Consultant and Local Planning Authority on Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Community Questionnaire report - Click here to view
- Bovey Tracey Parking Audit - Click here to view
How does it work?
What is a neighbourhood plan?
A neighbourhood plan is a locally produced statutory planning document that sets out policies for the development and conservation of the area it relates to. More details about neighbourhood plans are at www.gov.uk/guidance/neighbourhood-planning--2.
Why should we have a neighbourhood plan?
Planning policy for Bovey Parish is currently set by Teignbridge District Council (TDC) in its 2013-2033 Local Plan. Although planning applications in the parish are seen by Bovey Tracey Town Council, any comments it has about these have no statutory force in deciding planning applications or appeals. A neighbourhood plan, however, gives legal force in planning matters to the wishes of local communities. Also, and importantly, when complete, a neighbourhood plan increases the town council share of the Community Infrastructure Levy money paid to TDC on local housing developments from 15% to 25%.
A neighbourhood plan must comply with European (at present), national and local legislation. Please note that it cannot promote less development, such as housing, than identified in the Local Plan. It can, however, specify policies on how new development show look and where it should be located.
What has been done so far
The Localism Act of 2011 provides a mechanism whereby local communities can have a say in local planning issues by having in place a neighbourhood development plan (NDP). The Town Council decided to work on an NDP in March 2017 and set up a group of five councillors to do the initial work. The main item on their agenda was application to Teignbridge District Council (TDC) and Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) for the Parish to be designated as a Neighbourhood Area. The designated Neighbourhood Area comprises Bovey Tracey, Brimley, Heathfield and outlying rural districts.
In December 2017 a Steering Group (SG) comprising 5 town councillors and 7 members of the Parish community held their first meeting and agreed the first step should be to ask local people and businesses what they wanted for the future Parish by conducting a community questionnaire. Most of you will remember completing a questionnaire in March 2018.
The completed questionnaires were independently analysed by Devon Communities Together and the report has been available online on the Town Council (TC) website since May 2018. Five Working Groups (WG) were set up to work on Objectives based on the report findings, plus a sixth WG to work on a Vision for the future of the Parish. These groups were called Housing, Land and Environment, Traffic, Community Services and Facilities, Business and Employment and Vision. The WGs typically comprised at least one member of the SG plus people from the120 local people who had indicated an interest in helping when filling in the questionnaire.
The Vision and Objectives were presented at five consultation events held in November 2018 and based on the responses, revisions were made to the Vision and also to the Objectives. The WGs then started to work on planning policies to address the Objectives. This involved research to obtain evidence to support the Objectives and then work to write policies which would be “water-tight” when tested.
What we are doing now and in the near future
As of July 1st 2020 the draft Neighbourhood Plan has been commented on informally by TDC and also by a specialist planning consultant. Both sets of comments have been very helpful and the Steering Group has made the recommended changes. The Plan received the support of the Town Council at its meeting on June 29th.
The revised draft will be officially entitled the Pre-submission Neighbourhood Plan and will now undergo a major (at least 6-week) community consultation, carried out under the auspices of the Town Council.
A special edition of the Town Council Newsletter “Quality Update” will be delivered to every home and business in the Parish and will also be available on this website. Quality Update will contain:
- a list of all the Policies in the Pre-submission Neighbourhood Plan
- details on how to access a copy of the Plan, either online or a paper copy
- an explanation of the ways you can comment on the Plan
The Pre-submission Neighbourhood Plan will be sent to any official body or organisation whose interests might be affected by the proposals contained in the Plan and also, formally, to TDC.
To read or download a copy of the documents supporting the consultation, please find links below:
- Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan (Pre Submission version) - Click here to view
- Bovey parish Neighbourhood Plan Appendices - Click here to view
- Habitat Regulation Assessment of the Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report of the Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Summarised feedback from Consultant and Local Planning Authority on Pre Submission Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Click here to view
- Community Questionnaire report - Click here to view
- Bovey Tracey Parking Audit - Click here to view
Once the consultation period is over, changes will be made to the Pre-submission document based on the comments received. The revised document is now the Submission Neighbourhood Plan and will be formally submitted, along with a number of required documents to TDC and Dartmoor National Park Authority. TDC will check that the submitted Submission Neighbourhood Plan complies with the applicable legal processes and requirements, and that appropriate consultations have been conducted.
TDC will publicise the Plan for a 6-week period and call for representation from interested people or bodies.
TDC will also appoint a qualified and experienced person to “examine” the Plan and the supporting information which is required to be provided along with the Plan. Representations made at this stage will be passed to the Examiner. The Examiner will decide whether the Plan:
- has regard to national policy
- contributes to the achievement of sustainable development
- is in general conformity with the adopted strategic policies for the area
- meets human rights requirements
Based on the Examiner’s Report, TDC will publish a decision statement. The Examiner may recommend that the Plan proceeds to the next stage – a Referendum. More usually modifications are recommended before the Plan can proceed to Referendum.
The Referendum is arranged by the local authority – TDC. Information about the Neighbourhood Plan will be published for 28 working days prior to the date of the Referendum. If more than 50% of those voting vote in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan then the Plan will become part of the statutory plan for Bovey Parish.
Finally, we realise this process is complex – we have certainly found it so. If you wish to learn more about the production of a neighbourhood plan, then we recommend Neighbourhood Plans Roadmap.
Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Meeting Minutes
All Working Party & Steering Group Minutes can be viewed below.
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - .07.01.21 (DRAFT)
Added: 12 January 2021
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 17.11.20
Added: 24 November 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 20.10.20
Added: 29 October 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 23.09.20
Added: 01 October 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 03.09.20
Added: 11 September 2020
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 30.07.20
Added: 06 August 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - .02.07.20
Added: 01 August 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - .04.06.20
Added: 31 July 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 14.05.20
Added: 22 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 30.04.20
Added: 21 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 31.03.20
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 05.03.20
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 06.02.20
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 09.01.20
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 12.12.19
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Meeting Minutes - 30.04.20
Added: 06 May 2020
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 07.11.19
Added: 07 November 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 03.10.19
Added: 03 October 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 12.09.19
Added: 12 September 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 01.08.19
Added: 01 August 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 04.07.19
Added: 04 July 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 04.04.19
Added: 04 April 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 07.03.19
Added: 07 March 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 07.02.19
Added: 07 February 2019
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 06.12.18
Added: 06 December 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 06.09.18
Added: 19 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 02.08.18
Added: 19 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 05.07.18
Added: 19 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 06.06.18
Added: 19 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 10.05.18
Added: 19 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 11.10.18
Added: 11 October 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 05.04.18
Added: 05 April 2018
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NDP Steering Group Mtg Mins - 08.03.18
Added: 09 March 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 08.03.18
Added: 08 March 2018
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NDP Steering Group Mtg Mins - 01.02.18
Added: 01 February 2018
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NDP Steering Group Meeting (1st) Minutes - 14.12.17
Added: 15 January 2018
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NDP Steering Group Mtg Minutes - 11.01.18
Added: 12 January 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 11.01.18
Added: 11 January 2018
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NDP Steering Group Minutes - 14.12.17
Added: 14 December 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes - 25.09.17
Added: 28 November 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes - 03.10.17
Added: 28 November 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes - 23.11.17
Added: 28 November 2017
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NDP Working Party Minutes - 23.11.17
Added: 23 November 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes 13.07.17
Added: 25 September 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes 21.09.17
Added: 25 September 2017
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NDP Working Party Minutes - 25.09.17
Added: 25 September 2017
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NDP Working Party Minutes - 21.09.17
Added: 21 September 2017
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NDP Working Party Minutes - 13.07.17
Added: 13 July 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes 10.04.17
Added: 19 June 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes 25.04.17
Added: 19 June 2017
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NDP Working Party Meeting Minutes 09.05.17
Added: 19 June 2017
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NDP Working Party Minutes - 09.05.17
Added: 09 May 2017
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Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Community Questionnaire Report
A full copy of the report can be viewed via this link or downloaded below.
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Bovey Tracey Parish Neighbourhood Plan - Community Questionnarie Report
Added: 16 June 2018
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'Objectives to Policies' Presentation
A presentation about 'Objectives to Policies' was made on 21st August to the Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan Group from Teignbridge District Council's Neighbourhood Planning Officer, a copy of which can be viewed here.
CURRENT CONSULTATION (OPEN) - Seeking Your Local Knowledge
Drafting of the Bovey Parish Neighbourhood Plan continues to gain momentum. Following previous rounds of consultation, work groups appointed by the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group are digesting consultation responses and starting to prepare specific policies.
Are you interested in the landscape of Bovey Parish? Are there vistas within the Parish that you would like to see protected? Or green spaces that you think are important to retain for the future of the Parish? Or locations you know of that are home to nature which you think makes that location important to protect? These are some of the questions that the Land & Environment Work Group are currently considering and would like to hear your thoughts on to help inform detailed policies within the plan.
If you would like to put forward any locations or perhaps you have photos of specific areas, please download and submit a simple form here or email neighbourhoodplanning@boveytracey.gov.uk with images and further details.