Last updated:
25th March 2026
Neighbourhood Development Plans
Neighbourhood development plans (sometimes simply called neighbourhood plans) are led by the community through the parish or town council. They enable communities to influence how their local area should develop and grow.
The following parish and town councils are working on preparing plans, having applied and been designated as a neighbourhood area.
Latest news
Following a successful examination process, the Charvil neighbourhood plan will be subject to a referendum on 7 May 2026. Further details can be found under the Charvil heading below.
Additionally, consultation on the submission version of the Sonning neighbourhood plan ran from 2 February until 16 March 2026. The plan will now undergo an independent examination. Please see below under the Sonning heading for further information.
Charvil
Charvil Parish Council has been working on a neighbourhood plan for a number of years and submitted their proposed plan to Wokingham Borough Council in June 2025. This set out planning policies to guide the development and use of land in the parish up to 2040.
We sought views on the plan in line with legislation (Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations) from Monday 1 September to Monday 13 October 2025.
Wokingham Borough Council appointed Ann Skippers MRTPI to undertake the Examination of the plan. All comments received during the consultation were sent to the Examiner who considered whether the plan meets a set of prescribed 'basic conditions' and other legal requirements. Further information on the 'basic conditions' can be found in the National Planning Practice Guidance.
The Examiner concluded that, subject to recommended modifications, the plan meets the basic conditions and all other requirements.
The council's Executive decided on 26 February 2026 that the Examiner's recommended changes, with one very minor deviation, should be made to the plan. A referendum to consider the plan as modified is being held on 7 May 2026. The Decision Statement detailing the changes to be made and the decision to proceed to referendum can be found below, as well as the updated 'Referendum Version' of the Plan, and other documents. These documents are available to view at the council's Shute End offices and Wokingham Library during normal opening hours.
We have published an Information Statement which explains and supports the referendum. People living in Charvil parish who are registered to vote in local elections are entitled to vote in the referendum, which will be conducted following similar procedures to those used at local government elections.
The specified documents referred to in the Information Statement are available to view below:
- Information Statement (PDF)
- Charvil Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum Version) (PDF)
- Charvil Neighbourhood Plan Examiner's Report (PDF)
- Summary of Representations (PDF)
- Decision Statement (PDF)
- General Information Document (PDF)
Further supporting documents, including background evidence, can be viewed on the Charvil Neighbourhood Plan website.
Previous stages of plan preparation
Charvil Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 23 September 2020.
See the documents below:
- Application for the designation of Charvil Parish as a Neighbourhood Area (PDF)
- Neighbourhood Area Application Decision Notice (PDF)
You can find out more about the progress of the Charvil Neighbourhood Plan by visiting the Charvil Neighbourhood Plan website.
Remenham
Remenham Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 26 July 2013.
See the documents below:
- Remenham Parish Council Application (PDF)
- Remenham Neighbourhood Area map (PDF)
- Neighbourhood Area Application Decision Notice (PDF)
Sonning
Sonning Parish Council formally submitted their proposed neighbourhood plan to Wokingham Borough Council in November 2025. This sets out planning policies to guide the development and use of land in the parish up to 2040.
We sought views on the plan in line with legislation (Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations) from Monday 2 February to 5pm on Monday 16 March 2026.
Please find the plan and key supporting documents below:
- Sonning Submission Neighbourhood Plan (PDF)
- Consultation statement (PDF)
- Basic Conditions Statement (PDF)
Further supporting documents, including background evidence, are available to view on the Sonning Neighbourhood Plan website.
Next steps
Wokingham Borough Council has appointed Andrew Ashcroft MRTPI to undertake the Examination of the plan. They will consider all comments received during the consultation, as well as the plan and supporting documents, and will determine whether the Plan meets a set of prescribed 'basic conditions' and other legal requirements. Further information on the 'basic conditions' can be found in the National Planning Practice Guidance.
Previous stages of plan preparation
Sonning Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 24 October 2019.
See the documents below:
- Application for designation of Sonning Parish as a Neighbourhood Area (PDF)
- Sonning Neighbourhood Area Boundary Map (PDF)
- Neighbourhood Area Application Decision Notice (PDF)
You can find out more about the background of the Sonning Neighbourhood Plan by visiting the Sonning Neighbourhood Plan website.
St Nicholas Hurst
St Nicholas Hurst Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 10 April 2018.
See the documents below:
- Application for designation of St Nicholas Hurst Parish as a Neighbourhood Area (PDF)
- St Nicholas Hurst Neighbourhood Area Boundary Map (PDF)
- Neighbourhood Area Application Decision Notice (PDF)
You can find out more about the progress of the St Nicholas Hurst Neighbourhood Plan by visiting the St Nicholas Hurst Neighbourhood Plan website.
Swallowfield
Swallowfield Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 14 February 2023.
See the documents below:
- Application for the designation of Swallowfield Parish as a Neighbourhood Area (PDF)
- Neighbourhood Area Application Decision Notice (PDF)
You can find our more about the progress of the Swallowfield Neighbourhood Plan by visiting the Swallowfield Parish Council website.
Wokingham Without
Wokingham Without Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 6 August 2018.
See the documents below:
