Neighbourhood planning

We have extensive experience in supporting communities who wish to prepare neighbourhood development plans. This is our core business.  We also have experience in the review of neighbourhood plans and can offer advice on whether and how a review should progress.

We have progressed plans in small settlements that sought to protect local character and address climate change, to very large settlements such as Chippenham, Salisbury and Ashchurch Garden Town.

We work closely with Locality, the Government’s chosen grant funder, and their preferred consultants AECOM, to support Clerks securing grant funding and our pricing structure allows for all or most of the costs of producing the neighbourhood plan to be achieved within the funding.

We also advise Clerks and steering groups on the many steps needed to complete the process including designation of the Neighbourhood Area, working with Locality on the commission of work and obtaining grant funding, communications and engagement, advice on how to undertake Regulation 14 consultation, support after the submission of the draft to the Local Planning Authority (Regulation 15) and advice and support in choosing the Examiner and during the Examination.

We have good experience in site allocations, and in dealing the sites allocated by the Local Planning Authority.  Many of our neighbourhood plans are a response to major housing allocations.  We work with the parish and community to seek to influence the final outcome of strategic allocations by providing deliverable and robust design parameters for these major developments.

We have developed a standardised approach to neighbourhood planning which provides excellent results within the grant budget.

For more information on our neighbourhood planning service, please get in touch