The decision allows Bishop Monkton Parish Council to begin preparing a neighbourhood plan for the village near Ripon. This gives the community in Bishop Monkton the opportunity to shape where development takes place and influence the type of homes, facilities and infrastructure needed in the years ahead. Neighbourhood planning was introduced under the Localism Act 2011 and enables communities to develop a shared vision for their area. Bishop Monkton Parish Council submitted its application to North Yorkshire Council in March after agreeing earlier this year that it wanted to prepare a neighbourhood development plan for the whole parish. The council said Bishop Monkton had grown significantly in recent years and was expected to continue expanding as new housing developments were completed.