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Neighbourhood planning (opens new window) provides an opportunity to change attitudes towards development through positive engagement by local communities, giving communities more control over the future of their area and local people having the chance to have their say on what happens where they live.
Neighbourhood Planning is a tier of Planning Policy that empowers communities to shape the development and growth of a local area. It is important to highlight that Neighbourhood Plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the development plan in force.
There are three different types of Neighbourhood Planning documents:
Neighbourhood Plan - Neighbourhood Planning activity in Wiltshire Council (Neighbourhood Planning activity map) set out planning policies for the development and the use of land in a local area; once adopted a Neighbourhood Plan forms part of the statutory documentation that is used to determine planning applications
Neighbourhood Development Order (information on Neighbourhood Development Orders can be viewed under the 'Alternative options to producing a neighbourhood plan' drop down)
Community Right to Build Order (information on Community Right to Build Orders can be viewed under the 'Alternative options to producing a neighbourhood plan' drop down)
A neighbourhood plan can:
establish general planning policies for the development and use of land in a particular area
include local priorities, planning policies, proposals for improving an area or providing new facilities or infrastructure and allocation of key sites for development
Neighbourhood planning is a tool to promote sustainable growth and will not be able to prevent development in an area. Neighbourhood plans can only include proposals for an equal (or greater) amount of growth that is set out in the statutory development plan.
Adopted Neighbourhood Plans will form part of the statutory Development Plan for the area which includes the Wiltshire Core Strategy incorporating saved policies from district local plans, Chippenham Site Allocations Plan, Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan, Minerals and Waste Plans and made Neighbourhood Plans.
It is important that communities work closely with Wiltshire Council when developing their neighbourhood plan. Further information on local plans, policies and strategies can be viewed on Wiltshire Council's Planning policy (Local Plan) pages.
Wiltshire Council will take an active role in advising and supporting local communities in their plan preparation by sharing evidence, information and making sure the neighbourhood plan fits with the strategic policies of the Wiltshire development plan and national policy (GOV.UK: Policy paper - National Planning Policy Framework (opens new window) (NPPF)).The neighbourhood planning process is led by the town or parish councils.
The Council has produced Neighbourhood Planning Guidance Notes which provides assistance and support to those communities wishing to produce a Neighbourhood Plan.
Wiltshire Council has developed neighbourhood planning guidance's targeted towards town and parish councils wishing to explore the neighbourhood planning process.
These Neighbourhood Planning Guidance notes are to be read in conjunction with the 'Neighbourhood Planning Process' diagram which displays the different stages of a Neighbourhood Plan from its preparation to referendum and then being 'made'.
There is no requirement for town and parish councils to undertake neighbourhood planning, and there are a number of alternatives to producing a Neighbourhood Plan.
Are you a rural parish and do the issues within your parish solely relate to the appearance or design of buildings? If so, then maybe consider a Village design statement.
contains a descriptive analysis of the relationship between landscape, settlement patterns and buildings and describes the qualities and characteristics that people value in their village and its surroundings
inform the design of new development in an area
When approved, can become a planning material consideration which the council must take into account when determining planning applications
aim is to encourage developers and householders to design new buildings or extensions (and other elements such as fences and outbuildings) so that they are in keeping with existing local character
are written and researched by local communities, with only advisory input from the council
represent a community view of how new development should be designed in order to retain a sense of place
Wiltshire Council has produced guidance and a protocol on producing village design statements, both are available to download below.
Once approved by the area planning committee, village design statements will become a material planning consideration. This means that they are a consideration which the council must take into account when determining planning applications.
Would you like more detailed policies for your area than those already within the Local Plan?
It might be worth taking a look at the Local Plan to ensure that the policies within do not already cover the local issues you have identified.
Development within your parish will be considered against the Wiltshire Council Local Plan (i.e., Wiltshire Core Strategy) and national policy.
Are your policies specific to one site? If so, then maybe consider a Neighbourhood Development Order/Community Right to Build Order.
Neighbourhood Development Orders:
can directly grant planning permission for certain kinds of developments within a neighbourhood area.
this could be full planning permission or outline planning permission.
applications:
can have conditions attached
be site-specific
or grant more generalised development rights across a neighbourhood area
they will become part of Wiltshire Councils Development Plan (subject to independent examination and successful local referendum)
where there is a NDO in place there would not be a need to apply to the council for planning permission for the development it covers (similar to a Local Development Order).
A Community Right to Build Order is a form of Neighbourhood Development Order that can be used to grant planning permission for small scale development for community benefit on a specific site or sites in a neighbourhood area. It can be created by a local community organisation (see Legislation.gov.uk: The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (opens new window)), so not restricted to a Town or Parish Council.
A Community Right to Build Order can be used (for example) to approve the building of:
homes
shops
businesses
affordable housing for rent or sale
community facilities
playgrounds
Where the community organisation wishes to develop the land itself (subject to acquiring the land if appropriate), then the resulting assets can only be disposed of, improved or developed in a manner which the organisation considers benefits the local community or a section of it.
This practical toolkit empowers communities to create and shape their places to face the challenges of the present and the future. It is for anyone interested in creating, or working on, a neighbourhood plan in England.
Locality provides support to neighbourhood planning groups on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Locality can offer help to groups at all stages of the neighbourhood planning process. More information is available via Locality: Neighbourhood Planning Support (opens new window).