Planning in Northamptonshire – updated August 2026

In 2021, the eight former councils in Northamptonshire were abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities:

• North Northamptonshire Council – covering Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby, and East Northamptonshire.
• West Northamptonshire Council – covering Daventry, Northampton, and South Northamptonshire.

Current Local Plans in Northamptonshire include:

North Northamptonshire

• The current Local Plan for North Northamptonshire includes the Joint Core Strategy and supporting area-based plans. The Joint Core Strategy adopted in July 2016 provides the strategic planning policies for the future development of the area from 2016 to 2031.
• This sets strategic policies set out in the Part 2 Local Plans for Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering, and Wellingborough:
  • Corby – adopted September 2021.
  • East Northamptonshire – adopted December 2023.
  • Kettering – adopted December 2021.
  • Wellingborough – adopted February 2019.
• The Council has completed the first stage of consultation on its new Local Plan, which will provide a single planning framework for North Northamptonshire and guide development to 2045. A summary of the scoping consultation responses will be published shortly, and the feedback received will inform the next stage of the plan-making process: consultation on the Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence, scheduled for October to November 2026. Following further consultation and independent examination, the Council is aiming to adopt the new Local Plan in January 2029.

West Northamptonshire

• Joint Core Strategy (Part 1) was adopted in December 2014 and sets out the long-term vision and objectives for the whole of the area covered by the former Daventry District, Northampton Borough and South Northamptonshire Councils for the plan period up to 2029.
• This sets strategic policies set out in the Part 2 Local Plans for Daventry, Northampton, and South Northamptonshire:
  • Daventry Settlements & Countryside Plan – adopted Feb 2020.
  • Northampton Local Plan Part 2 – adopted March 2023.
  • South Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2 – adopted July 2020.
• The Regulation 18 consultation on the Draft West Northamptonshire Local Plan closed in March 2026.  The Council is analysing more than 6,000 consultation responses, alongside around 200 Call for Sites submissions and 150 Local Green Space nominations, which will inform the next stage of plan preparation. The Regulation 19 Local Plan is scheduled to be considered by the Planning Policy Committee on 14 September and Full Council on 24 September 2026. Subject to approval, it will then be published for formal representations before being submitted for independent examination in December 2026. The Council has indicated that this timetable will depend on the extent of changes required following the Regulation 18 consultation.

For further advice or to find out how your property fits into this framework for planning in Northamptonshire please contact us.