Dorset Council, the local unitary authority is responsible for supporting communities in the Dorset area to produce Neighbourhood Plans through their Local Planning Authority. Only a qualifying body (usually a Parish or Town Council) can instigate a neighbourhood plan.

The Parish Council  for our villages is the qualifying body recognised by Dorset Council, who have established a group of volunteers (Steering Group), to produce the Neighbourhood plan. The purpose of the Steering Group is to prepare a neighbourhood plan for Puncknowle, Swyre & West Bexington that is reflective of the communities’ views and ambitions for future development and land use. The Plan must be supported by a majority of local residents in a referendum, agreed by the Parish Council and must be in accordance with the overarching strategy of the Dorset Local Plan. This website will chronicle the development of the Plan and will have all the key documents, information and resources used in its production. Once approved, the plan will be the means to guide any proposed development, and the tool for planning approvals by Dorset Council and the Parish Council for the next 15 years.