Neighbourhood Planning: A step by step guide - Basingstoke and ...

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Neighbourhood Planning:
A step by step guide

Basingstoke and Deane
Borough Council
Neighbourhood Planning:
A step by step guide
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council encourages
all local communities in the borough to get involved in
shaping their local areas, and supports communities across
the borough’s towns and villages to develop their own
community-led plans.
Neighbourhood planning is a new way for communities
to decide the future shape of the places where they live
and work. It has been introduced through the Localism Act,
and the regulations came into force in April 2012. In the past,
communities have been encouraged to prepare community
plans which have a wide remit and seek to tackle a range of
social, economic and environmental issues. Neighbourhood
planning follows a more regulated process, and focuses on
planning issues. The borough council can help you decide
which route best fits what you want to achieve.
The neighbourhood planning process enables local
communities to have more say in where new houses,
businesses, shops and community facilities should go in
their local area. Communities cannot use neighbourhood
planning to prevent new development of strategic sites
allocated by the borough council. They can, however,
influence the details such as how a development looks.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will help you
through the process of neighbourhood planning by offering
support and advice. The following guide outlines the key
steps involved.

Define the group/ the neighbourhood
In areas with a parish or town council, they will take the lead in neighbourhood planning
and will act as your local representatives. If you are in an area without a parish or
town council, you will need to form a group and apply to the borough council, as local
planning authority, to be designated as a neighbourhood forum. In order to qualify, the
group must have at least 21 members and be open to new members
Whether as a parish/town council or a neighbourhood forum, you will then need to
decide on the area which best represents your ‘neighbourhood’ and apply to the council
for it to be designated as a neighbourhood area for the purposes of planning.
The neighbourhood area can either cover the whole parish, or just part of it, but the
boundaries for separate neighbourhood areas cannot overlap.
The council, as local planning authority, checks whether the proposed area is
appropriate and it will be designated unless there are valid planning reasons for it to be
turned down
Decide to prepare a neighbourhood plan or
neighbourhood development order
You can choose to create either a plan or a development order, or both.
A neighbourhood plan can establish general planning policies for the development
and use of land in your neighbourhood. It can be detailed or general, depending on
what local people want. You may wish to concentrate on a few policies only, which
may be important to your particular area.
A neighbourhood development order can grant permission for development you
want to see in your area. It would allow particular development to go ahead without
the need to apply for separate planning permission.
Prepare the plan/ order
Use evidence that is already in the public domain, along with evidence that you
collect, potentially through early consultation, to prepare your plan. Guidance can be
provided by the council on what information is needed and how to collect it.
Neighbourhood plans and development orders must be generally in line with local
and national planning policies as well as other laws such as EU and human rights
legislation.
Consult
You must publicise the proposals to those who live and work in the Neighbourhood
Area and consult statutory consultees who may be affected.

Submit to council as local planning authority
Once the plan is written, the council needs to check it against the legislation and
regulations. This check isn’t about saying whether the content is right or wrong,
but about the consultation and procedure followed.
Independent check
If the plan meets the requirements, the council will then arrange an independent
examination. This will look at how the plan/order fits against the local plan,
national policies, and any adjoining neighbourhood plans.
If the plan or order doesn’t meet the right standards, the examiner will recommend
changes. The planning authority will then need to consider the examiner’s views
and decide whether to make those changes.
If the examiner recommends significant changes, then you may decide to consult
the local community again before proceeding.
Community Referendum
If the plan passes the check, the council will arrange a referendum on the plan or
order to ensure that the community has the final say on whether a neighbourhood
plan or order comes into force.
People living in the neighbourhood who are registered to vote in local elections
will be entitled to vote in the referendum. The referendum can also go beyond the
neighbourhood area if it would have significant impacts on other people nearby.
A simple majority of those that vote (i.e. more than 50%) is required in order for
the plan or order to be brought into force.
LPA adopts Plan or Order
If the plan or order is approved by a majority at the local referendum, it will be adopted by the
local authority.
The neighbourhood plan will then carry legal weight and must be taken into account when
considering planning applications in the neighbourhood.
A neighbourhood order will grant planning permission for development that complies with the
order, without the need for a separate planning application.
If you would like further information or advice on neighbourhood planning, please contact
Joanne Brombley at ldf@basingstoke.gov.uk
8446_0712