What is a Neighbourhood Plan (NP)?

An NP is a legal document setting out a community’s wishes for the use and development of land in a designated area. It is created by and for the local community.

What can an NP do?

Among other things, an NP can include policies for protecting green spaces, safeguarding or developing community facilities, and allocating sites for housing.

Once an NP is brought into force, council planners must take its policies into account when making planning decisions for that area.

Who creates an NP?

An NP is put together by a Neighbourhood Planning Forum, comprised of a minimum of 21 people who live, work or do business in the area it covers.

The area is known as the Neighbourhood Area. It is defined by the community, not by the council or by postcodes or wards. 

How long does it take to have an NP brought into force?

Making an NP is a lot of work with several statutory stages, including consultation, examination and a community referendum. You should expect the process to take a minimum of 18 months. Depending on the complexity of your policies, it could be two years or longer.

An NP can’t solve every issue in your area, but it does hold legal weight. It gives a community legal powers to influence future development.