St Neots Town Council would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Our offices will be closed from Thursday 17th April 4.30pm and will reopen Tuesday 22nd April 9.00am.
Neighbourhood Plan
St Neots’ residents voted “yes” in a 93% majority to adopt the Neighbourhood Plan in February 2016.
A total of 5217 votes were received during the polling period. Of those who voted, 4850 residents accepted the plan; resulting in a 93% majority “yes” vote for the plan. 357 “no” votes were counted and 10 ballot papers were spoiled. Voter turnover at the polls on the day was 21.8%.
The implementation of the Neighbourhood plan requires all planning applications within St Neots to be measured against the vision and objectives set out in the town’s Neighbourhood Plan – a document which was created through consultation with local residents. Not only does this ensure that St Neots has greater control over planning policy, more money will now come into the town through an increase in the taxes placed upon new developments.
As an officially adopted document, the St Neots Neighbourhood Plan has become part of local planning statute. As of 2025, St Neots Town Council are currently in development of a new Neighbourhood Plan.
An analysis of neighbourhood plan referendum results by The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has found stark differences in voter turnout for Neighbourhood Plan referendums, ranging from 11.2% to 68.7%. Figures from the first 52 referendums published by the department in February 2015 showed an average “yes” vote of 88%.
Strategic Environmental Assessment
The ‘SEA’ screening opinion for St Neots neighbourhood plan.
Neighbourhood Plan Evidence Base
Key findings and messages from the evidence base.
Sustainability Assessment
The sustainability assessment of St Neots neighbourhood plan
Reviewing and Renewing the St Neots Neighbourhood Plan
At its meeting in January 2025, St Neots Town Council resolved to prioritise the review and renewal of the St Neots Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) as one of its strategic objectives over the next 16 months.
To begin this work, the Council established a dedicated Working Group tasked with leading the review process. At a subsequent meeting in March 2025, the Council further resolved to allocate up to £3,950 to appoint a professional planning consultant to undertake Stage 1 of the review. This initial stage included background research, site visits, stakeholder workshops, reporting, and recommendations to help define the scope, focus, and project timescales for the renewed Plan.
This Stage 1 work was completed in April 2025, and the Working Group’s recommendations will be presented to Full Council at its meeting on 29 April 2025.
Why review our Neighbourhood Plan now?
The current St Neots Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2016. Since then, significant changes have taken place across the town, including major new housing developments, evolving infrastructure needs, and shifting national and local planning priorities. Reviewing and updating the Plan ensures it becomes a relevant and effective tool to influence future development in line with the needs and aspirations of the St Neots community.