Hadleigh Neighbourhood Plan

The Hadleigh Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) has been prepared by the Town Council and local community and will be used to help guide and shape future development in the plan's area.

Reg 20 Formal adoption Feb 2025 (Updated Dec 2025)

In an 'Officer Decision' taken on 27 February 2025, Babergh District Council agreed to adopt ('make') the Hadleigh 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 across Hadleigh unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

In December 2025, a minor modification was made to the NDP to correct an error within the named and numbered list of Non-designated Heritage Assets. An explanation is set out within the updated plan which can be accessed via the link below:

Supporting Evidence

The adopted NDP comes with an extensive list of supporting evidence. Links to all of the documents listed in the plan, and some that are not, can be found on the Town Council website (see here). Links to specific documents appear below:

Previous stages...

Local Referendum (25 Feb 2025) - a majority yes vote

At a local referendum held on Tuesday 25 February 2025, more than half of those who voted did so in favour of the Hadleigh NDP.  

Reg 18 Exam Report Decision Statement (29 Oct 2024)

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

Reg 17 Examination (Final Report - 3 Oct 2024)

Babergh District Council appointed Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FRSA AoU to carry out an independent examination of the Hadleigh NDP. This relied upon the submitted documents and written representations.

On 3 October 2024, the Examiner issued her final report. It praised the plan and recommended that, subject to certain modifications being made, it would meet the basic condition tests and that it should proceed to a local referendum.

Reg 16 Submission consultation (ended 5 July 2024)

The submission draft Hadleigh NDP was made available for public consultation between 20 May and 5 July 2024. Hadleigh Town 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. At the time of submission, 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 Town Council were also being given the opportunity to respond to any new issues raised.

SEA/HRA Screening & Determination (Feb 2024)

The pre-submission draft Hadleigh 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:

Reg 14 Pre-Submission consultation (6 Nov to 18 Dec 2023)

Consultation of the pre-submission draft Hadleigh NDP ended on 18 December 2023. 

Reg 05 - Area Designation (30 June 2015)