Kettering Town Council is developing a new neighbourhood plan for the central area of Kettering, including the town centre. This plan is at an early stage and will be developed in 2025 through into 2026. It will look at creating planning policies for both the town centre and the older - largely Victorian - streets to the north and east of the town centre. Please continue to come back to this page and the following ones as they are created to see the progress being made and the consultation work that is underway at each stage.

The neighbourhood plan has been set up to influence future development in the Headlands area of Kettering and maintain the unique character of the area.

It means that planners and developers should seek to abide by certain rules when building in the area, including:
• Protecting community assets such as shops
• Maintaining a thriving business presence
• Protecting and enhancing heritage buildings and the conservation area
• Ensuring appropriate design to recognise the special character of smaller areas
• Protecting natural features such as trees and hedges

Residents voted in a referendum on Thursday 27 April 2023 to adopt the plan.

The turnout for the referendum was 23.8%, with 348 voting yes, 33 voting no and one spoiled ballot paper.

The following streets - shaded in orange on the map opposite - make up the plan area: Bishops Drive, Slade Crescent, Ostlers Way, Ostlers Gardens, Headlands, Lonsdale Road, Cranleigh Road, The Close, Kettonby Gardens, The Crescent, Kensington Gardens, Foxton Court, Queensberry Road, Glebe Avenue, Roundhill Road, St Michael's Road, St Michael's Gardens, part of Seagrave Street, Hawthorn Road, Broadway, Argyll Street, Garfield Street and The Drive.

In 2031 the Headlands area in South West Kettering will continue to maintain a complementary contrast to the bustling town centre and the vibrant and developing business area; it will be inclusive of the expanded facility of the railway station adjacent to its northern and north west boundary.

It will retain its residential character of attractive streets and buildings in harmony with its mix of services, facilities and businesses. The Headlands will accommodate change to reflect the changing needs of its residents, employers and employees. It will accommodate redevelopment which complements the characteristics of the immediate locality and is sympathetic to the practical limitations presented by eager urban expansion through the years.

The plan is the result of many years' hard work by local residents, the South West Kettering (Headlands Area) Neighbourhood Planning Forum and supported by Kettering Town Council and planning officers at North Northamptonshire Council.

1. Maintain the current mix of services and facilities to encourage the neighbourhood to remain vibrant and enable residents to have many of their needs met within the local area.

2. Promote and enhance local business opportunities to support a prosperous local economy.

3. Conserve and enhance local heritage features and buildings, including their settings.

4. Ensure all future development is of a suitable mix, and of high quality.

The Neighbourhood Plan will become a key part of local planning policy that affects future decisions taken over development. How is future development influenced? The national policy provides national framework. Local planning policy provides a framework at a regional and unitary level. The Neighbourhood Plan provides the local framework.