On Wednesday 13 March 2024, York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Forum provided the Council with an updated version (Version 2) of the Adopted York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan. This version updates wording at the end of the Foreword, to replace the previous Acting Dean of York, The Rev Canon Michael Smith, with the new Dean of York, Dominic Barrington. Alexander McCallion has also been added, as Director of Works & Precinct. The cover of the document identifies it as ‘Version 2 (March 2024)’ but there are no changes to the made plan other than the aforementioned. The original version of the Adopted Neighbourhood Plan is also retained below, for comparison purposes.
The York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted or 'made' by City of York Council at Executive on 16 June 2022.
View the adopted ‘York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan’ and the council’s Decision Statement regarding adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan. Paper copies of both documents are also available to view in our Customer Centre (Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm) via appointment only. Please contact the Forward Planning Team via telephone: (01904) 552255 or email: neighbourhoodplanning@york.gov.uk to make an appointment.
Additionally, copies are available to view at York Explore Library, Library Square, York, YO1 7DS and York Minster Stoneyard, The Work, Department, 4 Deangate, York, YO1 7JA.
In accordance with The Neighbourhood Plan (General) Regulations 2012, this Neighbourhood Plan will be used when determining future planning applications within the identified York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Area.
Executive Decision Statement
Following the receipt of the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Development Plan - Examiners Report, Officers reported the recommendations to the council’s Local Plan Working Group and Executive.
The Examiner’s Report and our Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Decision Statement were reported to Members at Local Plan Working Group on 7 March 2022 and at Executive on 17 March 2022.
Executive agreed with officers recommendations that the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan could proceed to referendum.
A Neighbourhood Plan was prepared for the Minster Precinct.
Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Planning Referendum
Following the decision to proceed to Referendum by the Council’s Executive on 17 March 2022, the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Planning Referendum took place on 10 May 2022, in accordance with Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 and in procedures which are similar to those used at local government elections.
See the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Planning Referendum Declaration of Result of Poll
Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Planning Referendum Specified documents
- York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum Version)
- The Report of the Independent Examiner
- summary of the submission version representations
- Decision Statement by the local planning authority that the draft plan meets those basic conditions in paragraph 8(2) to Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and complies with the provisions made by or under sections 38A and 38B of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)
- General Statement that sets out general information as to town and country planning including neighbourhood planning and the Referendum
Examination of the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan
Following the end of the Submission Consultation on 8 September 2021, the written representations received were sent, together with the final Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan documents, for examination with the appointed independent Examiner, Mr Andrew Ashcroft.
The appointed Examiner, Mr Andrew Ashcroft, sent a Clarification Note to the York Minster Precinct Forum on 14 October 2021. The York Minster Precinct Forum responded to the matters outlined in the Clarification Note and this was submitted to the Examiner for consideration:
- Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Development Plan - Inspectors Clarification Note
- Minster Precinct Forum - Clarification Note Response
Mr Andrew Ashcroft carried out the examination by written representations and provided his final Examiner’s Report on 7 January 2022.
The final Examiner's Report concluded:
“On the basis of the findings in this report I recommend to the City of York Council that subject to the incorporation of the modifications set out in this report that the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Development Plan should proceed to referendum.”
Background to the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Area
An application to designate the Minster Precinct neighbourhood Area and Associated forum was submitted to the Council in November 2018 following which the Council undertook a 6 week period of consultation between Wednesday 16 January 2019 and 27 February 2019 on the Minster Precinct Area and Forum applications. Documents that we consulted on were:
- Application A: Neighbourhood Area application
- Application B: Neighbourhood Forum application
- Annex A - Map of the Proposed Neighbourhood Area (Minster Precinct Area)
- Annex B - Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Forum Written Constitution
- Map showing the composition of the Neighbourhood Forum members
An application for a Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Forum and associated Designated Area (to be known as 'Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Area') was approved by the Executive Member for Transport and Planning at his Decision Session on 14 March 2019. See the formal designation of the boundary.
In May 2018 the Minster Precinct Forum informally consulted on issues and options to understand from the public what was important about the Precinct. In May 2019 the Forum informally consulted on the draft plan.
The Minster Precinct Forum formerly consulted on the York Minster Neighbourhood Plan Pre-Submission Draft between 10 January to Midnight 23 February 2020. The Minster Precinct Forum consulted on their second York Minster Neighbourhood Plan Pre-Submission Draft between 16 December 2020 and midnight on 14 February 2021. Both consultations were hosted by York Minster
Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Submission Consultation 2021
The Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Forum submitted the Submission Version York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan and associated documents to City of York Council on 26 April 2021.
Once a Neighbourhood Plan is submitted, we are required to "publicise the documents submitted on our website and in such other manner as we consider is likely to bring the proposal to the attention of people who live, work or carry on business in the neighbourhood area" to be in compliance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations (2012, as amended).
Our consultation on the submitted York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan documents took place between 14 July and 8 September 2021.
Submission Consultation documents
The following documents were consulted on through the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Submission Consultation:
- York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Submission Version
- Basic Conditions Statement
- Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening Report
- Sustainability Appraisal incorporating the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
- Statement of Community Involvement (Consultation Statement)
- Heritage Impact Assessment
- York Minster Conservation Management Plan 2021
- 2015 Strategic Plan
Next steps
The responses received through the consultation process were collated and provided to an appointed independent Examiner as part of the Examination of the neighbourhood Plan. The Examiner provided a written report, which was made available following the conclusion of the examination.