Neighbourhood Plans now top 200

HM Government has announced that over 200 Neighbourhood Plans have now been approved.  

This is on top of more than 1,900 communities across England - covering nearly 10 million people - that have now also started to get their own plans in place. According to a statement from the Department of Communities and Local Government, 'The plans give local people a say in the development of their area, including where homes, schools and businesses should be built, how they should look and what infrastructure is needed to support them.'

Significant planning reforms have already shifted power away from Whitehall and over to local councils and residents through local and neighbourhood plans, as part of wider efforts to deliver 1 million homes and support aspiring homeowners to achieve their dream of ownership.

Steps have already been taken to make it easier for local people to get involved in Neighbourhood Planning. These include:

• the recent  Housing and Planning Act , which streamlines and simplifies the process for getting a neighbourhood plan in place, and
• the  Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme , which enables community groups to apply for grants of up to £9,000 – or up to £15,000 in areas with more complex needs – for example to acquire specialist planning expertise, develop websites and fund events to engage a wider number of residents.