Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Neighbourhood Plan
The parishes of Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary are preparing a joint Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). When complete, the Plan will be used to help guide and shape future development across the two parishes.
This NDP also covers the two district council areas of Babergh and Braintree, with Babergh District Council acting as the lead local authority. Please also visit the Babergh District Council website for information published there on this NDP.
Latest news...
Regulation 17
Babergh and Braintree District Councils in consultation with Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Parish Councils have appointed the independent examiner Ann Skippers BSc (Hons) MRTPI FRSA AoU to examine the Draft Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Neighbourhood Plan.
Previous stages...
Reg 16 Submission consultation (29 Sept to 14 Nov 2025)
In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) both Councils made this Plan available for public consultation.
The consultation online elements was hosted by Babergh District Council. The consultation ran from Monday 29 September until 4:00pm on Friday 14 November 2025.
Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 consultation
Printed copies of the draft Plan were available to view at the following locations:
- St Mary’s Church (CO8 5AA),
- Bures Baptist Church (CO8 5JG),
- Bank House Tea Room (CO8 5AD),
- Bures Community Centre (CO8 5BX), and;
- Beautiful You Hairdressers (CO8 5AD)
Reg 15 Submission (21 Mar 2025)
The Bures NDP was submitted to both Babergh District Council and Braintree District Council. The two Councils carried out procedural checks prior to jointly making this submitted plan available for public consultation.
SEA/HRA Screening and Determination (Nov 2024)
The pre-submission draft Bures NDP has been screened to determine whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and or a Habitats Assessment (HRA) were required. Both were 'screened-out'.
The screening assessment - carried out by the consultants appointed by the Bures NDP Team - and the joint determination notice issued by Babergh District Council and Braintree District Council are published below:
- Bures NP Preliminary SEA HRA Screening Assessment - 2024
- Bures NP SEA HRA Determination Notice - Nov 2024
Reg 14 pre-submission consultation (2 Sept to 28 Oct 2024)
Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Neighbourhood Plan Bures Hamlet Parish Council undertook a Regulation 14 Consultation which ended at midnight on Monday 28th October 2024.
Reg 6/7 Area Designation (Nov 2021)
In June 2021 a joint application was submitted by Bures Hamlet Parish Council and Bures St Mary Parish Council to their respective local planning authorities (Braintree District Council and Babergh District Council) to designate the parish of Bures Hamlet combined with Bures St Mary as a Neighbourhood Plan Area, under Neighbourhood planning Regulations 2012 (part 2, sect 6).
Bures Hamlet and Bures St Mary Area Application and Area Map
As the application covers two parishes as a single Neighbourhood Plan Areas, a six week consultation period is required.
Reg 6 - Area Designation Consultation. Both authorities therefore invited comments on the appropriateness or otherwise of the proposed NDP Area.
The same consultation was published on the Babergh District Council website
The consultation began on Wednesday 1 September and closed at 4:00pm on Friday 15 October 2021.
The Bures Neighbourhood Area application was approved by Braintree District Council Local Plan Sub-Committee on the 25th November 2021.
Regulation 7 Public Notice - Designation of the Bures Neighbourhood Plan Area - 25th November 2021
For further information please contact the Parish Council at buresparishcouncils@gmail.com or see the Bures Neighbourhood Plan
Page updated December 2025
