Neighbourhood Plans

Andrew England

Planning & Regeneration

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Localism Act

• Devolving power from central government to Local Authority and from Local Authority to Town and Parish Councils

• Main Changes for Planning Policy:• Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies• Neighbourhood Plans

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Neighbourhood Plans

Community Plan

Containing land use and non land use issues

Neighbourhood Development Plan

Neighbourhood Development Order

Community Right to Build

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• Neighbourhood Development Plan

• Full development plan dealing with land use planning issues for the parish area

• Sets out policies in relation to development & use of land in a neighbourhood

• Express local priorities

• Allocate sites for housing & other development

• Can contain development management policies

• Identify important green spaces

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• Neighbourhood Development Order

• Allocates specific areas where certain types of development will be enabled

• Can grant planning permission in relation to a particular site

• Can allow development of any specified use within the designated area

• NDOs can also have a business theme e.g. permission to change use of building or encouraging business start up through types of employment buildings

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Producing Neighbourhood Plans

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Neighbourhood Area

• Map identifying the area

• Statement explaining the area

• Statement explaining that the body making the area application is a qualifying body under the Localism Act 2011

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General Conformity

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What can Neighbourhood Plans do?

• Neighbourhood plans must:• Be permissive • Be about land use planning • Be produced by the community

• Neighbourhood Plans cannot:• Conflict with local or national policy• Propose less growth than strategic plan

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National Planning Policy Framework

• Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood & deliver the sustainable development they need. Parishes can use neighbourhood planning to:

• Set planning policies through neighbourhood plans to determine decisions on planning applications; and

• grant planning permission through NDO’s.

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National Planning Policy Framework

• The ambition of the neighbourhood should be aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area. Neighbourhood plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the Local Plan.

• To facilitate this, LPA’s should set out clearly their strategic policies for the area & ensure that an up-to-date Local Plan is in place as quickly as possible.

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National Planning Policy Framework

• Neighbourhood plans should reflect these policies & neighbourhoods should plan positively to support them. Neighbourhood plans & orders should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan or undermine its strategic policies.

• Outside these strategic elements, neighbourhood plans will be able to shape & direct sustainable development in their area.

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National Planning Policy Framework

• Once a NP has demonstrated its general conformity with the strategic policies of the Local Plan & approved, the policies it contains take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in the Local Plan for that neighbourhood, where they are in conflict.

• LPA’s should avoid duplicating planning processes for non-strategic policies where a neighbourhood plan is in preparation.

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Cornwall Front Runners

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What might it look like?

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Common Mistakes – What to avoid!

• The ‘stand in the library with a thick document’ approach.

• The ‘talking at people at public meetings’ approach.

• The ‘consultant producing options before consulting anyone’ approach.

• The publish and defend approach.

•

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Common Mistakes – what to avoid!

• The ‘people are too stupid’ approach. • The ‘we need strong leadership & not

consultation’ approach. • The ‘outcomes pre-determined’

approach. • The ‘boring of people until the point

of unconsciousness’ approach.

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Build local people’scapacity to do things

for themselves

Empower thecommunity at every

opportunity(rather than doing it

for them)

Act as a conduitfor

community ideas

Ask people what’s their vision for

improving theirarea

Devolve responsibilityto localpartners

Speak for the community especially

the unheard

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How do you engage?

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What about….

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Consultation / Participation

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Any Questions?