1 What is Neighbourhood Planning?

Communities were given the right to have more say in development that happens in their local area in the Localism Act 2010. These rights are exercised mainly in the ability to develop a neighbourhood plan which is then adopted by local authorities. Local authorities are then guided by their adopted neighbourhood plans when deciding which developments to give planning permission to.

A Neighbourhood Plan is a legal planning document that must be considered alongside other National, London and Local Plans when future development, regeneration and enhancement of the neighbourhood area are being considered.

There is an arguement that funding for planning at local levels should be given to councils. However, since central government have decided to give funding to communities to do the work either communities do it or it doesn’t get done, and it is done relatively cheaply.

Councils are nonetheless funded and required to support communities developing neighbourhood plans, and both councils and the local community benefit from this relationship.

Details of how neighbourhood plans are written can be read here and are illustrated by the roadmap below