Neighbourhood Planning aims to empower local communities and increase local engagement in the planning process.
Neighbourhood Planning was introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011 which devolved more power from Government to local authorities.
Neighbourhood Planning allows your community to:
- Have a say as to which areas you want to be developed and those you wish to see protected.
- influence what kind of services and amenities your village or town needs to prosper
- Decide some local planning applications
Why is it important?
Neighbourhood Planning can help build relationships between local residents and local planning authorities as well as getting local people more involved with placemaking. It can help to:
- Give a voice to your local community
- Empower local people to shape their surroundings
- Set ‘out a positive vision for the future of an area’ (National Planning Policy Framework, March 2012)
Once a Neighbourhood Plan is adopted it holds significant weight in planning decision making as part of the statutory development plan. The Neighbourhood Plan must therefore be taken account in any decisions made on planning applications.
What can we do?
- Neighbourhood Plans are a really useful tool for allocating land for future development. If you have a site which you think should be developed and it is within a Neighbourhood Plan area, make sure you submit it to your local steering group during ‘call for sites’.
- We predominantly work on behalf of landowners and therefore, due to potential conflicts of interest, we do not get involved in the drafting of Neighbourhood Plans. We can, however, provide more general advice including:
– Drawing up a step by step guide of the process involved.
– Translating the planning jargon such as ‘LDF’ ‘SPD’ ‘OAN’ and ‘SHLAA’
– Referring you to best practice guidance.
Your contact at Batcheller Monkhouse:-
Pulborough: Clare Bartlett MRTPI
01798 877555
c.bartlett@batchellermonkhouse.com
Tunbridge Wells: Kirsty Castle MRTPI
01892 509280
k.castle@batchellermonkhouse.com
