Neighbourhood Plan

Sturminster Marshall Parish Council has agreed to begin the process of producing a Neighbourhood Plan. A Neighbourhood Plan will give us the power to shape our future and growth.

It will allow residents to have a powerful influence in determining where new homes, shops and community facilities should be built and what they should look like. Once adopted it forms part of the statutory development plan and will be used by Dorset Council, as the Local Planning Authority, in making decisions on Planning Applications.

To formally start work on our Neighbourhood Plan we have applied to Dorset Council to get the Neighbourhood area designated. The submitted application met the criteria and on this basis Dorset Council has designated on 24 April 2019 the neighbourhood plan area as submitted. Sturminster Marshall Parish Council has agreed that the designated area for the Neighbourhood Plan should be all the land within the current parish boundary (see boundary map).

 A Steering Group has been set up, which is leading the process for developing the Neighbourhood Plan. The Steering Group consists of representatives of the Parish Council and members of the public. The terms of reference for the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group can be found here. The agendas and minutes from the Steering Group meetings can be found below.

A consultation event was carried out on the 26th September 2019. Results of the 2019 consultation can be found here. 

In August 2020 a household questionnaire was sent out to every home in the Parish. The results of the questionnaire can found found here. 

Over the past year the group has undertaken several studies to assist in the formation of the Neighbourhood Plan. Some of these have been carried by external experts and some by volunteers in house. These reports have given us information about housing needs, local green spaces (part one and part two) and have assessed potential development sites. A report on locally important buildings is ongoing and will be published soon.  

Good progress is being made on our Neighbourhood Plan. A draft plan will be ready for you to comment on by Spring 2023. 

A virtual presentation has been prepared to explain what work has been undertaken on the Neighbourhood Plan so far and is available here. Please see below for a report of the consultation responses we received to our Autumn 2021 consultation.

Consultation Report - January 2022