Neighbourhood planning
Neighbourhood planning gives town and parish councils or newly formed neighbourhood forums the opportunity to prepare, with the community they represent, a planning document to shape the future of the places where they live and work. Neighbourhood planning allows communities to set planning policies through a neighbourhood development plan or grant planning permission through a neighbourhood development order. A neighbourhood plan cannot be used to prevent or stifle development.
At the start of the neighbourhood planning process, the neighbourhood area which the community intend to produce a plan for has to be formally agreed. The emerging plan will also have to undergo a number of public consultation stages, before the plan is examined. If the examination is successful and the plan can proceed to referendum, if the majority of those who vote in referendum support the plan, then the plan can be adopted by the council.
The adopted neighbourhood plan would form part of the authority’s development plan, meaning it will be a material consideration in determining planning applications and can be used to direct appropriate development.
The neighbourhood planning regulations set out the detailed arrangements that neighbourhood plans should follow.
Emerging neighbourhood plans
Wyre Council as the local planning authority has received the following neighbourhood area applications:
| Neighbourhood plan | Neighbourhood area applicants | Neighbourhood Area status | Neighbourhood Plan status |
| Dolphinholme Neighbourhood Plan | Nether Wyresdale and Ellel Parish Council | Approved – 1 February 2017 | |
| Barton Village Neighbourhood Area | Barton and Myerscough and Bilsborrow Parish Council | Approved – 8 September 2017 | |
| Garstang Neighbourhood Plan | Garstang Town Council | Approved - 28 February 2018 |
Advice and support
In support of neighbourhood planning, there are various sources of additional advice and support provided by other organisations to assist:
- An Introduction to Neighbourhood Planning
- Neighbourhood Planning Roadmap Guide
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Notes on neighbourhood planning
- How to shape where you live: a guide to neighbourhood planning
- Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulation 2012
- Neighbourhood Planning (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2015
- Neighbourhood Planning (General) and Development management Procedure (Amendment) regulations 2016
There are also other organisations that offer guidance on neighbourhood planning:
Financial Support
The government has made available up to £9,000 in grant support for each community preparing a neighbourhood plan. For more complex plans or for plans that are allocating development sites, additional professional and financial support (up to an additional £6,000) is available. Further information on how to apply is available via Locality.
Contact us
If you are interested in preparing a neighbourhood plan for your community or wish to get involved in an existing plan, the planning policy team can offer advice and assistance. Please contact the planning policy team on:
- Email: planning.policy@wyre.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01253 887235
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