Neighbourhood Development Plan

The Localism Act 2011 provides local councils with new powers to create their own Neighbourhood Plans to guide development in their administrative areas.

Following the 2011 Act, a Parish council can establish general planning policies for the development and use of land in a neighbourhood. These policies are formulated in a Neighbourhood Development Plan.  An NDP does not override the strategic context defined in local development plans. In particular, policies produced in an NDP cannot block development that is already part of the local development plan. However, an NDP can shape and influence where that development will go and what it will look like.

The key steps in preparing an NDP are as follows:

• step 1 : designation of the neighbourhood area
• step 2 : preparation of a draft plan (see below)
• step 3 : local consultation of draft before submission
• step 4 : submission of draft plan to local planning authority
• step 5 : independent examination of plan
• step 6 : final local referendum to adopt plan

Step 2 is actually a lot of work, involving:

• evidence and information collection,
• engagement with the local community and other stakeholders,
• discussion with both developers & landowners,
• formulation of development options,
• assessing potential economic and environmental impact
• preparation of proposal documents