A plan that will help shape the future growth and development of Bingley and its surrounding area up to 2038 has taken its final step, after being formally adopted by Bradford Council.
The Bingley Neighbourhood Development Plan was signed off by the council at the end of July, following a successful referendum in which the vast majority of voters backed the plan.
The result means the document now forms part of the overall planning policy framework for the Bradford District, and will be used by the council in deciding planning applications in the Bingley area, and by developers putting together proposals.
Grow and develop
Neighbourhood planning originated in the Government’s Localism Act 2011, which gave local communities the opportunity to shape how their areas grow and develop. Neighbourhood Development Plans are led by the community, usually by town or parish councils, or by designated neighbourhood forums in areas without a parish council, and must go through several stages during preparation, including community consultation and engagement and an independent examination, before a local referendum in the area covered by the plan.
A yes vote at referendum means the local authority is required to formally adopt the plan.
The Bingley Neighbourhood Development Plan has been in preparation since 2017, and was subject to formal consultation in 2024 and 2025, followed by an independent examination in late 2025 and early 2026, with the examiner concluding that it should proceed to a local referendum, subject to several modifications.
That referendum took place on 16 July 2026, with more than 85% of voters in favour of the plan being used by Bradford Council in making decisions on planning applications in the area it covers. In line with legislation, the council has now formally adopted it.
The plan sets out a vision for the future of the Bingley area, together with six objectives and twelve planning policies designed to help achieve it. Those policies, which will be used to help decide planning applications, cover a range of topics, including protecting community facilities, encouraging a well-designed built environment, improving Bingley town centre, creating an attractive environment for business investment, meeting local housing needs, walking, cycling and green infrastructure, and enhancing Bingley’s landscape and heritage.
Economic vitality and community wellbeing
Councillor Philippa Gibbons, Bingley Town Council Councillor and Chair of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Group, said: “We’re delighted that the people of Bingley have supported the adoption of the Neighbourhood Development Plan that we have worked so hard on. It can now be used as part of the statutory planning framework, which is used to determine planning applications in the area, providing a long-term framework for balancing development, environmental protection, economic vitality and community wellbeing.”
Councillor Andrew Judson, Executive Member for Economy, Regeneration and Planning at Bradford Council, said: “The adoption of the Bingley Neighbourhood Development Plan is a significant milestone and as the Chair of the Keighley Neighbourhood Development Plan Group, I fully understand the hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone that has been involved in its preparation. The strong support shown in the referendum demonstrates that local people care deeply about Bingley and want to play an active role in shaping its future development.”
The plan can be viewed on Bradford Council’s website and paper versions are available during normal opening hours at City Hall Customer Service Centre and at City and Bingley libraries.
