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Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

Neighbourhood planning

Accessibility: please note that the neighbourhood plan documents are written by the communities. The documents are not produced by nor under the control of councils and so are exempt from the accessibility regulations.

What is neighbourhood planning?

Neighbourhood planning is a community led initiative giving local communities power to prepare a planning document that forms part of the statutory development plan for the area, and which can be used in deciding planning applications in the local neighbourhood area. A neighbourhood plan cannot call for less development than the Local Plan.

A Neighbourhood Plan must be broadly consistent with the Local Plan for the district.

It is not a legal requirement to prepare a plan but a right, which communities can use to shape the future of their neighbourhood. There are national regulations that set out how a neighbourhood plan must be prepared and grants available to help local communities achieve this.

A neighbourhood plan helps set out a community's vision for their area over 10, 15 or 20 years. Once agreed, the neighbourhood plan has the same legal status as the Local Plan, so decisions on planning applications must take the neighbourhood plan into consideration.

A neighbourhood plan can:

  • propose more development than the Local Plan
  • allocate sites for development for housing, employment, and community uses
  • protect what is special about an area by identifying green spaces or local heritage assets
  • help to define the type and design of new development

The neighbourhood plan cannot:

  • propose less growth than in the Local Plan
  • prevent any development from ever taking place in an area
  • be prepared without community input and support
  • conflict with local, national or international policies

You can find out more about neighbourhood planning by visiting Locality or MyCommunity.

Made neighbourhood plans

There are currently 13 adopted neighbourhood plans in Greater Cambridge.

Cambridge City Council:

South Cambridgeshire District Council:

Neighbourhood area designations

A neighbourhood area must be designated before a neighbourhood plan can be submitted for the area.

There are currently 14 neighbourhood areas designated in Greater Cambridge. Click on each area below to view the status of the neighbourhood plans in development in the designated neighbourhood areas:

Cambridge City Council neighbourhood areas

The Cambridge City Council neighbourhood plans map [JPG, 2.5MB] (February 2025) shows the neighbourhood areas designated within the Cambridge City Council boundary.

South Cambridgeshire District Council neighbourhood areas

The South Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Plans map [PDF, 1.5MB] (October 2025) shows all the neighbourhood areas designated and neighbourhood plans made within the South Cambridgeshire District Council boundary. 

Neighbourhood Area Designated Pre-Submission Consultation on draft Neighbourhood Plan Neighbourhood Plan Submitted and Submission Consultation on Neighbourhood Plan Neighbourhood Plan Examination  Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Neighbourhood Plan Made
Babraham Heydon - - - Cottenham
Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth Linton and Hildersham - - - Foxton
Bourn  - - - - Fulbourn
Girton - - - - Gamlingay
Haslingfield - - - - Great Abington Former Land Settlement Association Estate
Horseheath - - - - Histon and Impington
Melbourn         Pampisford
Orwell - - - - South Newnham
Sawston - - - - Waterbeach
Swavesey - - - - West Wickham
Whittlesford - - - - Thriplow and Heathfield
Longstowe - - - - Harston
- - - - - Stapleford and Great Shelford

 

Neighbourhood planning support offer

As the local planning authority, we have a statutory duty to support and assist designated neighbourhood forums (Cambridge City Council boundary) and Parish Councils (South Cambridgeshire District Council boundary) interested in preparing neighbourhood plans.

Our Statement of Community Involvement (March 2024) sets out our Support Offer to Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums preparing neighbourhood plans. 

Further information on how we can support local groups can be found in our neighbourhood planning toolkit set out below, or by contacting the neighbourhood planning team.

Neighbourhood planning toolkit

The Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit [PDF, 0.7MB] was updated by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service in November 2024. The purpose of the toolkit is to support and guide parish councils, neighbourhood forums and groups who are preparing a neighbourhood plan. It has been designed to explain the stages involved in plan-making and sets out the help that is available from the two Local Planning Authorities.

The Toolkit takes the form of a directory so that users can find relevant information in each chapter of the Toolkit as and when necessary. The Toolkit also sets out ‘Top Tips’ throughout the document to support the smooth running of preparing a neighbourhood plan.

Apply to designate a Neighbourhood Area [DOCX, 0.1MB] 

Apply to designate a Neighbourhood Forum [DOCX, 0.1MB]