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Planning

Welcome to the Exmoor National Park planning pages


Please Note: From the 1st April 2023 we have introduced charging for our planning enquiry and pre-application services. Details of our charges and other relevant information can be found by using the link below:

Planning Advice and  Enquiries


The built environment, individual buildings, villages and settlements are as much a part of what makes Exmoor special as the natural beauty, wildlife and bustling communities. Planning has a vital role to play in ensuring that new development is well designed and carefully sited so that it contributes to the variety and quality of Exmoor's landscape and provides homes and work places for its inhabitants. Exmoor National Park is a working and living community where development is necessary to ensure that the needs of the community, businesses and visitors are met.

The planning policies seek to ensure that development is of the right scale, directed to appropriate locations and conserves and enhances the character and appearance of the National Park. Development proposals should be of a high quality so that the special qualities of the National Park are maintained.

Some planning decisions are decided by the Authority's Committee.

Find out more about ...

Local Plan

The Authority adopted the Exmoor National Park Local Plan 2011-2031 in July 2017.

Conservation areas

These are "special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance."

Affordable Housing

The National Park Authority is committed to working with both communities and individuals to try to meet the local affordable housing needs of Exmoor.