The Planning Policy Committee of West Northamptonshire Council met on Thursday 8 January 2026, approving the updated West Northamptonshire Local Development Scheme and recommending the draft West Northamptonshire Local Plan for public consultation. The committee also agreed to a call for sites as part of the consultation process.

Local Development Scheme for the West Northamptonshire Local Plan

The committee approved the updated West Northamptonshire Local Development Scheme (LDS) which sets out the timetable for the preparation of local plans. This scheme will come into effect following the consideration of the West Northamptonshire Local Plan by the Council on 19 January 2026. Minor editorial and presentational changes to the LDS in its final published form were delegated to the Head of Planning Policy and Specialist Services. The LDS is a statutory requirement for local planning authorities to timetable the local plans they will prepare to plan for development in their area. The West Northamptonshire LDS was last updated in December 2025, and this revision ensures it remains up-to-date with the introduction of a new Development Plan Document to support the spatial strategy of the emerging West Northamptonshire Local Plan.

Consultation on the Regulation 18 Draft of the West Northamptonshire Local Plan 2026

The committee agreed to recommend to the Council that the draft West Northamptonshire Local Plan (WNLP) be issued for public consultation. This consultation will be conducted in accordance with the Council's adopted Statement of Community Involvement¹ and will include a call for sites. This call for sites will offer the opportunity to promote sites to meet the needs of Gypsies, Travellers, and Travelling Showpeople. Minor editorial and presentational changes to the draft Local Plan and the proposals map, prior to the consultation commencing, were delegated to the Head of Planning Policy and Specialist Services. The WNLP aims to replace the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Local Plan Part 1 and the Part 2 Local Plans for Daventry District, Northampton, and South Northamptonshire. The plan covers the period up to 2043 and allocates land for employment and housing development, identifies areas for protection and enhancement, and provides detailed planning guidance.