Neighbourhood Development Plans
At last, the Government’s long awaited Localism Act is with us and with it comes a chance for local stakeholders and residential groups to get on with the task of developing Neighbourhood Development Plans. For most, this will be a daunting challenge – but also a necessary one with the prospect of many towns and villages in Yorkshire faced with the prospect of accommodating new housing in particular.
But Neighbourhood Development Plans are about so much more than just site allocation for new housing. Their scope also includes plans for green spaces, new community facilities, retail development, new industry and workspace, improving street scenes and the public realm….in fact anything that is fundamentally about land use in your area.
Indeed, in an important change to the planning system, communities can use neighbourhood planning to permit development they want to see – in full or in outline – without the need for planning applications.
As you begin to consider if you want to produce such a Plan, you will also want to consider how you will begin this task! To begin such a task, you may want to think about bringing in external expertise, this is where LDP Planning has joined forces with Ruralis to offer the following, comprehensive, Neighbourhood Development Plans package:
- Helping you understand the full implications of the Localism Act for your community – what is a Neighbourhood Development Plan? What is a Neighbourhood Development Order? What about the Community Right to Build? What funding can we expect to help us realise our ambitions for our community?
- Helping you understand and apply good practice from the current set of ‘frontrunner’ communities who are already well on with undertaking their own Neighbourhood Development Plans.
- Helping you prepare your Plan and consider how it ‘fits’ with the Local Development Framework and your current community-led planning package (Parish Plans, Village Design Statements etc). A full and proper understanding of planning legislation is essential to enable your Plan to be fit for purpose and ultimately adopted for development control purposes.
- Helping you engage with and consult with your community – ensuring they fully participate in the process as the Plan develops – and engage with Local Authority strategic planners who will have much to offer you as you progress your Plan.
- Helping you to paint a true picture of your community – an evidence-based profile that enables your Plan to be put into its proper context.
- Helping to build the capability of your community to take forward the Plan once it has been approved – who will drive it forward? What structures might need to be put in place? What training may be needed to help you in the future?
Neighbourhood Development Plans are an essential tool in the implementation of the governments Localism agenda. LDP Planning can unlock the potential that these documents hold and give your community an ability to guide and promote any future development, ensuring that the interests of your community are put first.
