Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet is being asked to formally designate a new multi-parish Neighbourhood Area covering seven villages in the east of the borough, paving the way for the preparation of a joint Neighbourhood Plan.
A report to Cabinet ahead of a meeting on Tuesday 10 March 2026 recommends approval of the Cranmer Neighbourhood Area, which would encompass the whole of the parishes of Aslockton, Whatton-in-the-Vale, Elton on the Hill, Granby-cum-Sutton, Flawborough, Orston and Thoroton.
If designated, the parish councils and parish meetings involved – supported by the Cranmer Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group – would be able to begin preparing a Neighbourhood Plan to guide future development across the area. Orston Parish Council is identified in the application as the lead council for the purposes of the process.
The ability for parish and town councils to prepare Neighbourhood Plans was introduced through the Localism Act 2011, with the detailed process set out in the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012. Such plans can include locally specific planning policies and allocate land for different uses, but they must be consistent with national legislation and strategic local planning policies. If a Neighbourhood Plan is independently examined and then supported at a local referendum, planning decisions in the area must be made in general conformity with it.
Under Section 61G of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, local planning authorities have a statutory duty to consider neighbourhood area applications. Before a decision is made, the application must be subject to public consultation and any representations taken into account.
In this case, the Borough Council consulted on the proposed Cranmer Neighbourhood Area between 19 December 2025 and 6 February 2026. The application documents, including a map of the proposed boundary, were published on the Council’s website. Seven representations were received from residents, statutory bodies and other stakeholders.
According to the report, responses included support for the principle that a Neighbourhood Plan could strengthen the ability of parish councils and meetings to influence planning decisions and better protect and enhance the area’s social and environmental characteristics. Concerns were also raised about whether similar multi-parish arrangements have been successful elsewhere and about the availability of resources to support neighbourhood planning work.
The application argues that the seven parishes share common characteristics which make a joint Neighbourhood Area appropriate. These include their designation as “Other Villages” within the Greater Nottingham Aligned Core Strategy, their proximity to one another as a contiguous rural area, and shared challenges such as limited services and public transport, largely residential character, rurality and conservation issues, and development pressures including solar farms and windfall housing proposals. The report also highlights shared road infrastructure, particularly reliance on the A52 for access to the wider highways network, and collaboration already undertaken between the parishes, residents, businesses and community groups in exploring a joint plan.
Officers conclude that the reasons given for designating the full area are reasonable and that no issues raised through consultation justify refusal. The report states that the whole of the area applied for is considered appropriate for designation and that alternative boundary options are not recommended.
The report notes that there are no direct financial, equalities, community safety or biodiversity net gain implications arising from the decision to designate the area, although future policies in a Neighbourhood Plan could address matters such as biodiversity net gain. It also reiterates that failing to determine a neighbourhood area application would place the Council at risk of not meeting its statutory obligations.
Cabinet members are being asked to support the Cranmer Neighbourhood Area as proposed and to approve its formal designation. If agreed, work would then begin locally on drafting a Neighbourhood Plan, which would be subject to further consultation, independent examination and a local referendum before it could be adopted.
