Planning Policy
The main focus of work for the Planning Policy team is the production of the Local Development Framework which will replace the adopted West Berkshire District Local Plan.
The planning system plays an important role in helping protect the environment in our towns, villages and rural countryside. For a complete list of all relevant planning policy and guidance that applies to West Berkshire please click on the icon in the downloads menu.
All major Planning Policy developments affecting West Berkshire are updated on this page.
The Local Development Framework will eventually replace the Local Plan. It will include a number of local development documents that outline how planning will be managed in our area.
The Local Plan sets out the Council's current policies and proposals for the development and use of land within West Berkshire. It includes detailed policies and specific proposals to guide planning decisions. These policies have been saved from Friday 28th September 2007 onwards until replaced by the Local Development Framework.
Information on further planning guidance for the district including Supplementary Planning Documents, Supplementary Planning Guidance and Town and Village Design Statements.
Local planning policies in West Berkshire are informed by national planning policies. Find more information here about Government Planning Policy Statements and the revoked South East Plan.
Development Plans for Minerals and Waste for Berkshire as a whole are produced jointly between the six unitary authorities of Berkshire.
Conservation Area designation provides the basis for policies designed to preserve or enhance all the aspects of character or appearance that define an area's special interest
Specialist advice on nature conservation and biodiversity enhancement is provided by the Council's ecologist.
Landscape character assessment is a technique that has been developed to facilitate systematic analysis, description and classification of the landscape.
The Council works together with key partners and the wider community on a variety of projects including countryside and rural planning initiatives and long term visions for Newbury town centre and other urban areas.
