Latest News
June 2026
At its meeting on 30th June 2026 the Authority adopted the Yorkshire Dales Local Plan 2025-40.
What is Planning Policy?
Planning policy is the strategy, guidance, land allocations and criteria we use to determine proposals for the development and change of use of land and buildings within the National Park.
The purpose of planning policy is to ensure that development needs are provided for, but only if they happen in the right place, at the right time and in the right way. The policies cover all types of development, from housing to business and minerals to visitor facilities. Planning applications must be determined in accordance with our adopted policies, except where it is judged that there are other planning considerations that are more important to the public interest.
Which policies apply?
We have to take into consideration many different levels of policy from national planning policies to Neighbourhood Plans. Current planning policy and guidance is spread across various documents:
Local Planning Policy and guidance
Local planning policy is contained in the Yorkshire Dales Local Plan 2025-40. The Local Plan’s policies are the single most important consideration in making planning decisions. The cover the whole of the National Park.
Neighbourhood Plans
It is possible for local communities to produce planning policies that relate to a small part of the National Park, often a single parish or group of parishes. The only up to date neighbourhood plans that have been adopted in the National Park are:
National Planning Policy and guidance
The Government has published a set of overarching national planning policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) . These are accompanied by National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) providing more of the detail behind the application and interpretation of the NPPF. The Local Plan is required to be consistent with national policy.
Sub Regional Spatial Framework
The Local Authorities across York, North Yorkshire, East Riding and Hull (YNYERH) have recognised the need to develop a broad framework that sets out an agreed view as to how sustainable growth could be facilitated across the sub region over the medium to longer term, i.e. towards 2050 and beyond the current suite of Local Plans.
The Spatial Framework is a non-statutory document that outlines the vision and priorities for growth and the overall spatial strategy for the area.
Contact us:
Telephone: 01969 652300
Email: localplan@yorkshiredales.org.uk
Sustainable Development Team
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Yoredale
Bainbridge
LEYBURN
North Yorkshire
DL8 3EL