Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan

A Neighbourhood Plan gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area.

Harberton Parish as a community will have a greater say in shaping the areas in which we live and work and in supporting appropriate new development proposals for the future.  The Neighbourhood Plan forms part of the development plan and sits alongside the Joint Local Plan (JLP) which has been prepared by the local planning authority.

Decisions on planning applications will be made using both the JLP and the Neighbourhood Plan, and any other material considerations.  Drafting a Neighbourhood Plan means that planning decisions will be based on better informed and more detailed policies than if Harberton Parish were only covered by the JLP.

The Neighbourhood Plan reflects local ideas and opinions, aiming to ensure that the Parish’s identity is protected and that it will have a sustainable, healthy and prosperous future.

The Plan

A consultation period referred to as the ‘Regulation 14 consultation’ will run from 12^th January to the 23^rd of February. During this period, we would welcome your comments on the draft Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents.  

There are three ways that you can submit your comments on the regulation 14 draft:

• our preferred way for you to respond is by using an online form, which you can access by clicking this link (HTML)

if this doesn’t work for you, you can send your comments:

• by email to harbertonneighbourhoodplan@gmail.com, or
• in writing to HNSG Chair, Jonathan Stirrup, Tristford Cottage, Tristford Road, TQ9 7SD

Please note that all responses will be considered by the HNSG and may be published as part of the consultation process.

Comments should be submitted by the 23^rd February 2026.

The Steering Group thanks you in advance for taking the time to review the draft Neighbourhood Plan. Your input is valued and will help ensure that the Plan is robust, effective and responds to strategic planning policies.

The Story So Far

• 2012  Harberton Parish Council researched the demand for a neighbourhood plan by distributing a questionnaire.  Having reviewed the results, The Parish Council resolved to create a Neighbourhood Plan.  See collated results of the 2012 survey here.
• 2013   Application for Designation of Neighbourhood Area was submitted to the local authority and was approved by the Executive Committee in March
• 2013   HNP Steering Group was formed
• 2013   Open days were held in Harberton and Harbertonford in June and November.  See collated responses to the 2013 consultation here.
• 2014   First draft Neighbourhood Plan was written and published.  An exhibition was mounted, a questionnaire circulated and comments gathered at a public event.  See collated responses to the 2014 consultation here.
• 2015  Open days were carried out in Harberton and Harbertonford and a detailed questionnaire was sent to every household in the Parish (two copies, twice over 3 months.  See responses from the open days and the questionnaires here
• 2015   Re-draft the Neighbourhood Plan chapters based on the responses from the open days and the questionnaires
• 2016   Consultation with South Hams District Council and re-writing of each chapter of the Draft Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan
• 2017   Site visits, site assessments and draft conditions to housing sites identified to date
• 2017   Detailed consultation with South Hams District Council leading to draft and policy adjustments
• 2021   Review of progress on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan (following hiatus during the pandemic)
• 2022   A new Housing Needs Assessment was completed by AECOM.  Work to update this took place in 2025 (see timeline below).
• 2022   New Call for Sites undertaken between 26th July and 30th September 2022
• 2023 A Community Conversation took place in Harbertonford CE Primary School on 10th June 2023.  See the information collected during the conversation here.
• 2023 A Site Options Assessment was undertaken by AECOM. Several amendments were made before publication in November 2023.  Further work was undertaken in 2025 and a revised report published.  (See timeline below).
• 2023 Work on a Design Code (PDF) for the Harberton Parish area was undertaken by AECOM and completed in September 2023
• The Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group undertook a full review and update of the draft plan (which was last updated in 2020), this included inviting comment from the Parish Council on draft chapters over a series of monthly meetings.  It was agreed to publish the most up to date draft in June 2024.
• 2024 The Devon Biodiversity Record Centre completed a Wildlife site resource map and species report in June 2024.
• 2024 A community visit to land belonging to Preston Farm took place in June.  Notes are available here. (HTML)
• 2024 A public exhibition and consultation events on new housing in the Parish took place in July 2024.  An exhibition was available in St Peter’s Church, Harbertonford 1st – 6th July which moved to St Andrew’s Church, Harberton between 8th – 12th July.  Exhibition materials were also available via the Parish Council website. Two consultation events took place, one online by Zoom on 10th July and one at Harberton Parish Hall on 13th July.  Paper based questionnaires were available in the churches and at the in person event.  See full information about the 2024 housing consultation and results of the consultation survey here. 
• 2025 AECOM completed work updating the Housing Needs Assessment (first undertaken in 2022).
• 2025 AECOM completed a review of the Site Options Assessment (first undertaken in 2023).  The revised report was approved and published.
• 2025 A housing re-consultation was held during September and October where information displays were available in St Peter’s Church Harbertonford from 13th September for 1 week, and in St Andrew’s Church, Harberton from 19th September for 1 week.  A public consultation event took place in Harberton Parish Hall at 7pm on Tuesday 7th October 2025, an an online session on Thursday 9th October 2025 for anyone who couldn’t attend in person.  A paper and online questionnaire was available for completion.  See full information about the 2025 housing re-consultation and the results of the consultation survey here.
• 2026 The ‘regulation 14’ draft of the Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan was published, and the Regulation 14 consultation process formally opens on 12th January 2026, to close on 23rd February 2026. 

Still to happen!

• The full SEA Environmental Report on the draft plan will be received from consultants, AECOM, in the coming weeks (expected by the end of January 2026). A Technical Note produced in 2025 by AECOM can be downloaded here (PDF) which explains the SEA work to date
• Statutory consultation of Parish residents, stakeholders and other interested parties
• Create final draft of Neighbourhood Plan based on responses
• Submit to Parish Council for approval
• Parish Council to submit to SHDC and Planning Inspector
• If approved, South Hams District Council will conduct a referendum in the Parish – a simple  yes/no vote to support or reject the Neighbourhood Plan.

Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan Meetings

Minutes for all HNP Meetings are held in the Parish Council minutes archive. 

Harberton Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Steering Group usually meets on the first Monday of the month, 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Please come along – you will be made very welcome and your views listened to during these meetings.

New members can be co-opted by a vote of existing members at steering group meetings.

The steering group is guided by the principles of democracy, transparency and accountability and members are obliged to adhere to Harberton Parish Council’s code of conduct.  More information can be found in the steering group terms of reference.

Current members include:   Guy Soulsby, Francesca Smith, Jonathon Stirrup and Anne Watson.  Meeting minutes are taken by Cat Radford, the Parish Clerk.