Capel St Mary Neighbourhood Plan

The Capel St Mary Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been prepared by the Parish Council and local community and will be used to help guide and shape future development in the parish.

Reg 20 Formal adoption (7 Nov 2025)

In an 'Officer Decision', effective from Friday 7 November 2025, Babergh District Council have agreed to adopt ('make') the Capel St Mary NDP.

This NDP, which covers the plan period to 2037, now forms part of the development plan and will be used to help determine planning applications in the parish unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Supporting evidence

The adopted plan refers to the following supporting evidence document:

Previous stages

Local Referendum (6 Nov 2025)

A local referendum was held on 6 November 2025. The question asked of those entitled to vote was: 'Do you want Babergh District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Capel St Mary to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Plan Area?'

Reg 18 Decision Statement (30 July 2025)

Procedures agreed in late 2021 meant that a NDP could be advanced to a local referendum without Cabinet approval where there was no objection to implementing the Examiner's recommendations in full. That applies in this case, with our decision confirmed through publication of the following statement:

Reg 17 Examination (Final Report 22 July 2025)

Babergh District Council appointed Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FRSA AoU to carry out an independent examination of the Capel St Mary NDP. The examination relied upon the submitted documentation and written representations.

On Tuesday 22 July 2025, the Examiner issued her final report. It recommended that, subject to certain modifications, the submission draft NDP met the basic condition tests and could proceed to a local referendum.

Reg 16 Submission consultation (10 Feb to 28 Mar 2025)

The submission draft Capel St Mary NDP was made available for public consultation between 10 February and 28 March 2025. 

The Parish Council (the qualifying body) had submitted the following documents: 

An assessment on how this NDP met the basic condition tests formed part of the examination. Our initial checks suggested that the relevant procedural requirements had been met. See our Regulation 15 Checklist.

Respondents were also reminded that their comments would be forwarded to the Examiner and, with the exception of personal contact details, be published on this webpage. The Parish Council were also given the opportunity to respond to new issues raised at this stage.

SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (Nov 2024)

The 2024 pre-submission draft Capel St Mary NDP was screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Assessment (HRA) were required. Both were 'screened out'. The relevant reports and our determination notice are published below:

New Reg 14 Pre-submission consultation (ended 21 Oct 2024)

The Parish Council consulted on a much-revised pre-submission draft version of their NDP in autumn 2024. That consultation ended on 21 October 2024.

Reg 14 Pre-submission Consultation (7 May - 24 Jun 2023)

Pre-submission consultation on a 2023 version of the NDP closed on 24 June 2023. 

Reg 14 Pre-submission Consultation (1 March - 18 Apr 2020)

Pre-submission consultation on a 2020 version of the NDP closed in April 2020. 

Reg 05 Area Designation (19 Apr 2018)