New Local Plan

The Local Plan defines the framework for development in the district over a fifteen year period, including the policies that any development must comply with, the designation of sites between categories of use (including Green Belt) and sites for major development over that period.

The Local Plan is different from the Chorleywood Neighbourhood Plan as it covers the whole of Three Rivers, covers a wider range of policies than is possible in a Neighbourhood Plan and identifies a series of sites that will be developed over the next 15 years.

On this page we provide the latest information.

Previous information has been archived and can be obtained using the buttons on the end of the page.

Update August 2026

Final Public Consultation on New Local Plan Commences

The final public consultation on the new Local Plan has now commenced. There will be no changes made to this version of the Plan before submission to the Examiner but all comments provided in this consultation will be provided to the Examiner along with the Plan. The Plan consists of a set of policies which will be applied to development in the District over the next 15 years and a series of sites proposed for development. The sites in Chorleywood proposed for development are:

It should be noted that, in the meantime, planning applications for development of sites not on the above list can still be put forward by land owners.

The consultation runs until the 25th September.

In association with the Parish Council, we are analysing the proposed policies and sites. To achieve this we will need specialist advice and guidance. The Parish Council has launched a Fighting Fund which will fund this work, along with examining planning applications for other sites such as Catlips Farm, Hill Farm and on land east of Long Lane.

We appeal to all residents to support the Fighting Fund which can be found at  https://www.chorleywood-pc.gov.uk/protect-chorleywoods-green-belt-planning-fighting-fund-established/

We will shortly publish guidance for residents on how to respond to the consultation and, jointly with the Parish, we will be running public surgeries if residents have any questions on this or any other matters. The dates for these are:

• Saturday 15th August – 11am to 12 noon – Chorleywood Library
• Tuesday 25th August – 7:30pm to 9:30pm – Common Room, War Memorial Hall
• Wednesday 9th September – 7:30pm to 9:30pm – Common Room, War Memorial Hall

Update May 2026

Chorleywood Parish Council launch Fighting Fund

The Parish is under more threat from excessive development than at any time in living memory. There are planning applications for significant numbers of new dwellings being proposed in Green Belt on Green Street and Catlips Farm, and the new draft Local Plan contains several large sites, including the Green Street site added to the Plan by the Housing Minister against the District Council’s wishes.

To best respond in challenging some of these proposals, we will need highly specialised advice, guidance and representation, which is likely to be very expensive. To fund this, the Parish Council has established a fighting fund and has committed to match every donation made by parishioners to the fund up to a total of £50,000.

We support the Parish Council taking the lead on this as they are best placed to represent the Parish as the Council is a Statutory Consultee. This gives the Council a clearer voice and puts the Council in prime position to represent us. At our recent AGM, we committed to make a significant donation to the Fund.

We ask residents to support the Council in its efforts to defend the area from what has the potential to be an existential threat to the nature and character of Chorleywood.

Further information and the link to the donation site can be found at https://www.chorleywood-pc.gov.uk/protect-chorleywoods-green-belt-planning-fighting-fund-established/

Click here to make a donation

Update April 2026

Council pushes back but Minister declines to withdraw his direction

In March the Housing Minister instructed Three Rivers District Council to add further sites to its Local Plan, including the site to the East of Green Street with an expected capacity of 678 new dwellings.

Over the last month, the District Council has pushed back against the Minister’s direction, with all parties signing a letter requesting the Minister withdraw his direction and instead allow the issues he raises to be considered thoroughly and in public at Examination – the usual process.

Unfortunately, the Minister declined to withdraw his direction and, after taking legal advice, the Council will now proceed with the amended plan to Consultation and Examination. The timetable for this is:

• Final public consultation (Regulation 19) to commence by 31st July 2026, and
• Plan to be submitted to Examination by 30th November 2026.

We are working with the Parish Council and other residents’ associations in the District on how best to respond to the revised Plan. We will update residents as matters develop.

Update March 2026

Housing Minister Forces Three Rivers to Add More Development Sites

At the beginning of February the Housing Minister stopped the new Three Rivers Local Plan going forward to consultation so that he can review its contents due to concerns over the level of new homes it would deliver.

On 18th March, the Minister completed his review and is now requiring Three Rivers to add seven additional sites to the plan. One of these sites is the land east of Green Street, earmarking it for 678 new homes. Whilst we are sure that TRDC will be taking legal advice, our current understanding is that the Council do not have any choice but to comply with this ministerial direction.

Below is a link to a copy of the letter from the Minister to TRDC:

Copy of letter from the Minister to TRDC

Even if the land east of Green Street site does end up in the final Local Plan, it will still need to go through the planning permission process where the design of the development and the infrastructure provided will be considered, with residents able to comment on the plans.

Obviously, we will be monitoring the situation and keeping residents up to date as matters develop.

Update February 2026

Housing Minister Puts Three Rivers Local Plan Consultation On Hold

On 5th February, one day before the draft Local Plan was due to commence its final public consultation, the Housing Minister (Matthew Pennycook MP) decided to stop the consultation proceeding and issued a hold notice.

We are very concerned about this as it is likely to lead to an extended delay in being able to get a new Local Plan agreed, which will leave the District exposed to speculative planning applications, potentially delivering the wrong houses in the wrong places.

Three Rivers Joint Residents’ Association, an umbrella organisation for all Residents’ Association in the District, has written to the Minister to express this concern. Chorleywood Parish Council has also written to the Minister on this matter.

You can read the correspondence using these links:

• Government ‘s letter advising the Council of the action
• Joint Residents’ email to the Minister