#neighbourhoodplanning THE WHAT and THE HOW

3… The number of neighbourhood plans

Designated areas 550

This data was informally gathered from internet monitoring and is being constantly updated

43% ApplicationDesignationDraft Plan Examination ReferendumMADE Neighbourhood Planning From the Ground Up Local Authorities Applications Designated 55% There are 326 local planning authorities (not including county councils) #NP100

#neighbourhoodplanning A quick reminder of what neighbourhood planning is… POWER to make planning policy RESPONSIBILITY to meet need and support growth INVESTMENT through Community Infrastructure Levy* * Communities with a neighbourhood plan in place receive 25% of CIL

Content of a Neighbourhood Plan?

COMMUNITY RIGHT TO BUILD Access the £14 million funding now! 76 new homes50% affordable17 self-build 1 new multi-functional community centre and bowling green In SLAUGHAM:

Neighbourhood Development Order

Neighbourhood Planning Steps STEP 1: Get informed: mycommunityrights E.g. Locality ‘Road Map ’... STEP 2: Designate Neighbourhood Planning Area + Forum... STEP 3: Consultation and community engagement... STEP 4: Local Authority publicise the plan... STEP 5: Examination of plan... STEP 6: Referendum... STEP 7: Plan Made!... 6 weeks 28 working days (double for business areas)

I.PLAN POSITIVELY II.PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES – The Examiner – The Voter – The Decision Maker III.TO GET A PLAN… GET A PLAN

First Golden Rule PLAN POSITIVELY NPPF Planning must be a creative exercise in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which we live our lives… Neighbourhoods should plan positively to support local development, shaping and directing development in their area… Neighbourhood plans should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan…

Thame VISION Thame must maintain its character as a real market town Continue to feel ‘compact’ Continue to have a close relationship with open countryside around it Retain its markets Continue to act as a centre for the surrounding area, not just residents Remain attractive to residents and visitors

Thame “The ten-word Vision Statement is clear, short and sharp. It provides a good introduction, from which the more detailed objectives, and then the policies to support and deliver the vision, naturally flow.” Report of the Independent Examiner

Thame POLICIES Land allocated for 775 new homes: seven sites and three reserve sites. Nine other policies on integration of windfall sites, design, provision of new facilities, etc. Other policies on Working and Shopping; Getting Around; Community, Leisure and Well Being; Environment, Sustainability and Design Quality But remember: Upper Eden contains seven policies in total. Neighbourhood planning is a flexible tool.

Second Golden Rule PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES

WHOSE SHOES? THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Does this plan meet the basic conditions?

WHOSE SHOES? THE VOTER Ballot Paper Do you want Thereorough District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for the Whereford area to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area? YESNO

90% in favour 34% turnout 92% in favour 21% turnout 76% in favour 40% turnout YES YES YES

WHOSE SHOES? THE DECISION MAKER

Third Golden Rule TO GET A PLAN… …GET A PLAN

But- what difference does it make?

The practical consequence of the neighbourhood plan is that the decisions and observations of the parishes now carry much greater weight in the determination of planning applications by the authority itself. Given the collective claustrophobia felt by the parishes prior to the coming into force of the Localism Act in terms of their growth and development, the opportunities we now have, as local councillors, are ones we could only dream of as recently as two years ago. Thanks to the development of (neighbourhood) plans, the parish council landscape could look very different in a matter of a few years... Cllr Alex Birtles, Kirkby Stephen Town Council For too long communities have been denied a real influence over how their area is designed and developed. This new form of community planning will help to redress this imbalance and get communities back in the driving seat. In Upper Eden this will include providing more homes for local people by allowing development on farms and conversions into affordable housing, as well as better broadband connections. National Association of Local Councils

Thame I have experience of community development work but somehow this was different. It involved understanding the constraints imposed by environmental and planning issues, of accepting growth in an area where everyone wanted to close the town’s gates. Instead of a top down approach – this is what is best for your area, it was a bottom up approach – this is what we want so go and make it work in planning terms. Tension erupted as the “professionals” had to listen and produce rather than produce and inform. The status of the town council has definitely changed, somehow it seems there is more respect for what a town council does and can do. The district council is involving us at the first stage of planning enquiries. Helen Stewart, Town Clerk

RESOURCES LPA = £30k designation submission successful examination Community = £7k any point direct pre-submission stage

Parish council Neighbourhood Plan = 25% uncapped, paid to Parish Parish council Neighbourhood Plan X = 15% capped at £100 / dwelling, paid to Parish Parish council X Neighbourhood Plan = 25% uncapped, local authority consults with community Parish council X Neighbourhood Plan X = 15% capped at £100 / dwelling, local authority consults with community Community Infrastructure Levy

Resources and Networking DCLG page #what-is-neighbourhood-planning Support programme LinkedIn Group = &trk=myg_ugrp_ovr Twitter /CommunitiesUK Much Wenlock’s List /other-neighbourhood- planning-frontrunners/ Planning Aid’s Up Front bulletin planning.org.uk/ Planning Advisory Service FAQs /page.do?pageId= Locality Roadmap /neighbourhood-planning- roadmap-guide/

#neighbourhoodplanning LinkedIn – Neighbourhood Planning