Feedback sought on how the Council engages with communities on its planning services

The Council is consulting on a draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which outlines how it will engage with the public during the preparation of the Local Plan, other planning policies, and when considering planning applications.

All local planning authorities are required to have an SCI to ensure that public consultation is fair, efficient, and effective. The SCI sets out who will be consulted, when consultations will take place, and the methods used.

Currently, there are five SCIs in place for the area, including one for the new Local Plan (adopted in January 2024), and three inherited from legacy authorities. WNC now proposes to bring four of these together into a single, streamlined document to improve transparency and consistency.

WNC’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Communities Thomas Manning said: “We are keen to hear from our communities to help shape the draft SCI to ensure that its engagement processes are clear and inclusive. This will guide how we work with residents, businesses, developers, and other groups in planning for the future of West Northamptonshire.”

The consultation runs until Monday, 25 August and people can share their views on our consultation hub or by getting in touch via email or post:

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 0300 126 7000

Postal address:

• Planning Policy SCI
• West Northamptonshire Council
• The Guildhall
• St Giles' Square
• Northampton
• NN1 1DE

All feedback received during the consultation will be carefully reviewed and used to refine the draft SCI. The updated document will then be presented to the Planning Policy Committee for consideration.