A copy of the full Policy Assessment and Consultation Report can be downloaded here.

The policy review exercise assessed the conformity of the current Neighbourhood Plan’s policies with adopted and emerging national and local strategic policies by presenting a series of recommendations for how the individual plan policies may be revised, expanded or refined in the context of the Neighbourhood Plan Review. These recommendations have been combined with the findings from the initial stakeholder engagement exercise in order to inform the next stage of policy scoping.

The policies were found to be broadly in conformity with adopted and emerging strategic policies, however it was recommended that when preparing policies in the Neighbourhood Plan the policy wording is clear and robust, in order to maximise the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood Plan and ensure that it holds weight in future planning decision-making.

In addition to the policies in the adopted Neighbourhood Plan, it was recommended that the Town Council consider whether to include additional policies or allocations, such as those relating to:

• Allocation of sites for housing, employment or other uses;
• Allocation of Local Green Spaces;
• The delivery of infrastructure required to support new development;
• The delivery of edge-of-settlement sites (including strategic housing and employment allocations) to ensure that these relate well to the existing built form of the town;
• The changing role of town centres;
• Health and well-being; and
• Mitigating climate change and climate change impacts.

Alongside considering the policy recommendations identified above, revisions or additions to the Neighbourhood Plan policies would also need to take account of the outcomes of the public engagement exercise.

It was also recommended that the overarching vision and strategic objectives contained within the Neighbourhood Plan are reviewed, taking account of both the public consultation activity and the emerging ‘place-shaping priorities’ that are being defined for Royal Wootton Bassett through the Local Plan Review.