Some residents may have received a letter from Sir Julian Smith MP asking for views on a number of issues, including potential development sites within our parish that have been submitted through North Yorkshire Council’s ‘Call for Sites’ process.

The Parish Council would like to clarify where the Local Plan process currently stands.

The map included with the letter shows sites that have been suggested for consideration. These sites are not part of the Local Plan at this stage and there is no guarantee that they will be included in the draft plan for consultation.

North Yorkshire Council is still in the early stages of preparing its Local Plan. There will be several opportunities for residents to have their say before any decisions are made. The key stages are:

 October–December 2026 – Scoping consultation, asking what the Local Plan should include.

 September–October 2027 – Content and evidence consultation on the emerging vision, policies and supporting evidence.

 September–November 2028 – Proposed Local Plan consultation. This is the key stage when residents will be able to comment on the draft Local Plan, including any proposed site allocations for development.

If you wish to respond to Sir Julian Smith’s letter, you are of course welcome to do so. However, it is equally important to take part in North Yorkshire Council’s official public consultations, particularly the Proposed Local Plan consultation in autumn 2028, as this is the formal process through which comments are considered.

Many residents will remember the recent Yorkshire Dales National Park Local Plan consultation. The significant number of individual responses submitted by local people played an important role in ensuring that proposed development sites within our parish were not included in the final plan.

As this is a rolling process the maps and statements may not always be fully up to date. We will continue to keep residents informed as North Yorkshire Council progresses through each stage of the Local Plan process and will share details of all consultation opportunities.

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