Building a Plan
A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led planning framework that guides the future development, regeneration and conservation of an area
Neighbourhood Plans were introduced in the Localism Act 2011 (subsequently amended) to allow local communities the power to help guide future development within their parishes, town councils or defined neighbourhood areas.
The following statement from Locality’s Neighbourhood Plans Roadmap Guide (2012) explains what Neighbourhood Plans aim to do (see also Toolkits and Guidance on their Neighbourhood Planning website):
‘A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led planning framework for guiding the future development, regeneration and/or conservation of an area. It may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities, or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. It may deal with a wide range of social, economic, and environmental issues (such as housing, employment, heritage and transport) or it may focus on one or two issues only. These may be issues that are relevant to the whole neighbourhood or just to part of the neighbourhood.’
Chilterns National Landscape supports communities who want to make a difference in the area in which they live and work. Neighbourhood Plans are one of the tools with which communities can influence local planning, so we have created this toolkit to guide people through the process. Neighbourhood Plans are produced by individual communities, often through the Parish Council or a specifically set up forum. They can:
- Develop a shared vision for your neighbourhood
- Choose where new homes, shops, offices and other development should be built
- Identify and protect important local green spaces and heritage assets
- Influence what new buildings should look like
Explore
Neighbourhood Planning challenges
A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led planning framework for guiding the future development, regeneration and/or conservation of an area.
Neighbourhood planning process
Neighbourhood Planning can be confusing for those just starting out, but we outline the legal steps involved and our own guide to the process
FAQs about the Neighbourhood Planning process
How do we progress and seek funding?
Many local planning authorities will have a planning officer within their planning policy teams assigned to Neighbourhood Planning work. They are invaluable contacts and can offer help on likely funding from both local and central Government sources. The charity Locality also produces useful material about applying for funding on their Neighbourhood Planning website (under the ‘Apply’ tab).
Our Chilterns Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit was created as part of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme, made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Published by the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB), a Conservation Board established under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
DISCLAIMER: While every effort is made to ensure all the legal and policy references are correct, CCB always recommends that these are checked as revisions and updates will occur.
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Influencing planning and development
