North Yorkshire Council has launched its first consultation for a countywide local plan, marking the start of a strategic review that will shape housing, employment, and infrastructure development through to 2045.
This new plan will consolidate the existing planning frameworks inherited from former district and borough councils, including Craven. It aims to provide a coordinated policy structure for sustainable growth, helping streamline planning decisions and offering developers, investors, and local authorities clearer direction.
The eight-week consultation is focused on broad issues, such as housing provision, economic resilience, town centre vitality, climate change mitigation, and infrastructure demands, rather than specific development sites. Input is also being gathered on topics relevant to business operations, such as transport, digital connectivity, and energy.
The council is moving ahead with its planning process ahead of expected reforms to the national planning system. Any future changes from central government will be integrated into the developing plan.
Feedback collected will guide the drafting of the whole plan, expected by the end of 2025. A second round of consultation will follow before the plan is finalised. Businesses are encouraged to contribute their views to ensure that the region’s economic strategy aligns with community needs and commercial potential.
