Have your say on Boreham Neighbourhood Plan

Chelmsford City Council has begun a public consultation on a draft Neighbourhood Plan for Boreham

The plan, which has been developed by Boreham Parish Council, proposes local planning policies for a range of matters including community infrastructure and transport.

Members of the public are invited to comment on the draft Neighbourhood Plan until 4pm on Wednesday 4 March 2026.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

Neighbourhood Plans set out local development policies, helping communities shape the places where they live. Parish tier councils usually lead on the creation of the plan, working with residents, businesses and organisations to ensure planning decisions reflect local priorities.

The Boreham Neighbourhood Plan covers the whole of the parish and proposes planning policies in areas of specific local interest including heritage, natural environment, landscape, transport and access, community infrastructure, and building design.

The documents submitted for consultation include the main Neighbourhood Plan, plus statements including a summary of the earlier consultation activity conducted by Boreham Parish Council, and how the proposals meet the legal framework.

How to make a comment

You can read and comment on the draft Neighbourhood Plan on the Consultation Portal. This is a simple way of making your comments, and you can sign up to be notified about future planning policy consultations too.

You can also print a comments form and return it by:

• email to planning.policy@chelmsford.gov.uk
• post to Planning Policy Team, Spatial Planning Services, Chelmsford City Council, Civic Centre, Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1JE.

Alternatively, you can send an e-mail with your comments, but you need to include your name and address. You must submit your comments by 4pm on Wednesday 4 March 2026.

What happens next

When the consultation closes, Chelmsford City Council will send all the submission documents and consultation comments to an independent examiner. The examiner will decide whether the Boreham Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum. 

If a public referendum is held in the area covered by the plan, and more than 50% vote ‘yes’, it will become part of Chelmsford’s statutory development plan, which alongside the adopted and emerging review of the Chelmsford Local Plan, will help guide future planning decisions in the parish.