Planning Policy
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- Ashton under Hill Neighbourhood Plan
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- Broadway Neighbourhood Plan
- Cleeve Prior Neighbourhood Plan
- Crowle Neighbourhood Plan
- Dodderhill Neighbourhood Plan
- Drakes Broughton and Wadborough with Pirton Neighbourhood Plan
- Droitwich Spa Neighbourhood Plan
- Eckington Neighbourhood Plan
- Elmley Castle, Bricklehampton and Netherton Neighbourhood Plan
- Harvington Neighbourhood Plan
- Honeybourne Neighbourhood Plan
- Inkberrow Neighbourhood Plan
- North Claines Neighbourhood Plan
- Norton-juxta-Kempsey Neighbourhood Plan
- Ombersley and Doverdale Neighbourhood Plan
- Pebworth Parish Neighbourhood Plan
- Sedgeberrow Neighbourhood Plan
- South Lenches Neighbourhood Plan
- Whittington Neighbourhood Plan
- Hanbury Neighbourhood Plan
- Tibberton Neighbourhood Plan
- Childswickham Neighbourhood Plan
- Offenham Neighbourhood Plan
- Fladbury Neighbourhood Plan
- Badsey Neighbourhood Plan
- North and Middle Littleton Neighbourhood Plan
- Planning Policy Monitoring
- Supplementary Planning Guidance and Documents
- Brownfield Land Register
- Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register
- SWDPR Review
- Neighbourhood Planning
- Other Planning Services
- Planning Enforcement
- South Worcestershire Building Control
- Commenting On A Planning Application
Planning Policy
The Planning Policy team is responsible for preparing plans covering what can be built and where; creating policies protecting the built and natural environment and the delivery of good design; implementing the Local Development Scheme; ensuring economic competitiveness, and monitoring the efficiency of the plans and policy in effect. Wychavon District Council has worked with Malvern Hills and Worcester City Councils to prepare a joint Local Plan covering the three Local Authority areas.
The South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR) came into effect on 26 March 2026, covering the period from 2021 to 2041.
South worcestershire development plan website
Planning applications are determined by either the Local Planning Authority (i.e. Wychavon District Council) or the Planning Inspectorate, and in exceptional circumstances the Secretary of State. The decisions have to be principally based on the application of planning policy.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the priorities for planning in England and places significant emphasis on sustainable development, and the requirement to reflect presumption of sustainable development in Local Plans.
South Worcestershire Local Plan Call for Sites
As part of the emerging South Worcestershire Local Plan (SWLP), the South Worcestershire Councils (Malvern Hills District Council, Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council) are now undertaking a Call for Sites. This will help to inform our evidence base of potentially suitable and available land, both previously developed land and greenfield sites, for a range of possible uses for consideration. This will run from Wednesday 19 August to Friday 30 October 2026.
Take a look at the event and sign up to the platform by clicking 'Join Now' below.
Other areas of Planning Policy work
The following links will provide more information on the various aspects of the Planning Policy team's work.
Neighbourhood Planning
Neighbourhood Plans allow a partnership of communities including businesses, residents and interested parties to develop policies that, subject to an independent examination and community referendum, will become part of the planning framework for land uses in their local area.
Policy Monitoring
Reports progress against the timetable set out in the Local Development Schemes (LDS) and assesses the extent to which the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR) policies are being implemented.
Supplementary Planning Documents
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) are produced to provide more detail on the application of policy, either for specific sites or on specific subjects.
SPDs do not have 'development plan' status, but are subject to public consultation and can be used as material considerations in the determination of planning applications.
supplementary planning documents
Brownfield Land Register
Brownfield land registers are intended to provide up-to-date and consistent information on sites that local authorities consider to be appropriate for residential development.
Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register
The self build register makes it easier for us to identify the demand for suitable building plots in the Wychavon district.
self-build and custom housebuilding register
Local Development Schemes (LDS)
The LDS is a project management document which sets out the council priorities for producing planning policy documents over the coming three years.
The Local Development Scheme has two main purposes:
a) To inform the public about the preparation of planning documents; and
b) To establish and reflect council priorities and enable work programmes to be set for the preparation of the documents.
Whilst this LDS is specific to Wychavon District Council, much of the content is shared with Malvern Hills District Council and Worcester City Council.
pdf wychavon lds 2021-2024 (488 KB)
pdf South Worcestershire LDS 2025-2027 (447 KB)
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
Sets out what Wychavon District Council will do to involve the community, and other stakeholders in the preparation and revision of planning policy documents and decisions on planning applications. The Statement of Community Involvement has been temporarily updated to reflect the current situation with regard to Covid-19 restrictions.
pdf Wychavon Statement of Community Involvement 2020 (683 KB)
Parish, town plan or village design statement
A Parish or Town Plan is a document setting out how a particular town, village, parish or locality wants to develop over the next decade or so and can cover a variety of social, economic, environmental planning issues. It should reflect the views of all sections of the community, obtained through local consultation. It also includes a plan of action setting out how the priorities will be addressed.
As of December 2018, 41 have been adopted as Local Information Sources. A framework for adopting Plans as a 'Local Information Source' means that the action points in the completed Plans are material considerations when determining planning applications.
A list of Parish and Town Plans can be found by viewing the link below:
pdf List of adopted Parish and Town Plans / Village Design Statements (66 KB)
Contact us
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on (01386) 565565 or alternatively email the Planning Policy Team at
For Neighbourhood Planning queries, you can also contact the team via the below email addresses: