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Neighbourhood Planning

We differ from many planning consultancies as we have significant experience in working with and advising local planning authorities on a variety of planning policy matters. This gives us the unique position and insight in decision making and planning policy processes. Our understanding of both the public and private sector ensures that we are best placed to offer expert advice on progressing neighbourhood planning matters. We also employ carefully selected senior council planning policy officers who currently work for various councils around the country to provide additional planning policy expertise.

Neighbourhood Plans

The Neighbourhood Plan will provide local people with a powerful tool to allow them to plan the areas in which they live. Parishes and neighbourhood forums will be able to use neighbourhood plans to:

  • Develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood;
  • Set planning policies for the development and use of land; and
  • Give planning permission through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.

Neighbourhood plans will be able to shape and direct development in their area, subject to the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The Neighbourhood Plan will contain planning policies that will take precedence over existing policies in the Local Plan for that neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood Plans can be very simple, or go into considerable detail where people want. Provided a neighbourhood development plan is in line with national planning policy, with the strategic vision for the wider area set by the local authority, and with other legal requirements, local people will be able to vote on it in a referendum. If the plan is approved by a majority, then the local authority will bring it into force.

Neighbourhood Development Orders

The Neighbourhood Development Order is another planning tool that will allow communities to grant planning permission for specific types of development in a particular area. This could be either a particular development, or a particular class of development. Developments that are permitted through a neighbourhood development order will not require further planning permission from local planning authorities. These orders may form part of the Neighbourhood Plan or be linked to it. For example, the plan could identify the need for a new village community shop and/or a housing development site. The Neighbourhood Development Order would then apply a planning permission for that proposed use or development.

Community Right to Build Orders

The Localism Bill also allows for community organisations to bring forward a Community Right to Build Order which is a type of neighbourhood development order.

This will allow certain community organisations to bring forward smaller-scale development on a specific site, without the need for planning permission. This will give communities the freedom to develop, for example, small-scale housing and other community facilities that they want. Any benefit from this development will stay within the community and be used for the community’s benefit.

Development Consultation

The Localism Act introduces a requirement for developers to consult local communities before submitting planning applications for very large developments. This will give local people a chance to comment when there is still genuine scope to make changes to proposals.