The Borough of Swindon is still growing and developing. This is a period of change for the borough; we have seen sustained levels of investment, a growing awareness of green issues and an impetus for urban renewal with The New Swindon Company.

New development is necessary to meet the needs of changing socio-economic circumstances. The Local Plan helps determine how and where future change should take place. In doing this the Local Plan must set out how the borough will develop, whilst protecting all that is best about the past and present.

Quick Links

Adopted Local Plan

Swindon Borough Local Plan 2011.

Proposals Map

What the Local Plan is

All district and most non-metropolitan unitary councils have a statutory duty under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to produce a district and borough-wide local plan for their area. The Local Plan contains policies (excluding Minerals and Waste policies) that determine what can be built and where, but it can only contain policies relating to the use of land and must take account of national planning policy. When the Borough Council determines planning applications it must consider the Local Plan policies and can refuse applications if they do not accord with the Local Plan.

The Local Plan must itself accord with the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2016, which sets the overall number of new homes and amount of land for employment needs that should be accommodated in the borough.

The Adopted Local Plan

The Swindon Borough Local Plan was adopted in July 2006. It provides a policy framework to 2011.

The full text of the plan is available in a downloadable pdf file:

Swindon Borough Local Plan 2011 (1.18Mb)

If you wish to obtain a paper copy of the document please see: Obtaining Printed Copies.

The Council published the formal Adoption Notice (see below) on 19 July 2006. The plan came into operation on its adoption. A person aggrieved by the proposals who desires to question their validity on the grounds that they are not within the powers conferred by Part II of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or that any requirements of that Act or any regulation made under it has not been complied with in relation to the adoption of the proposals, may, within six weeks from 19 July 2006, make an application to the High Court under Section 287 of the 1990 Act.

The Adoption Notice is available as a downloadable pdf file:

Adoption Notice (17Kb)

Background to Swindon Borough Local Plan Review

Please click on the following link to view background information on the Local Plan

Local Plan Review

This web page was last updated on Tuesday 3 October 2006.