Legal News

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has announced that 200 communities have now approved Neighbourhood Plans – many of which are becoming “more ambitious in nature” with planning for housing beyond and in advance of the local planning authority’s local plan for an area.

There was strong support for local plans in three referenda in Herefordshire, pushing approval for Neighbourhood Plans beyond the 200 mark, said the DCLG – which is in addition to more than 1,900 communities across England covering nearly ten million people, which have now also started to put their own plans in place.

The plans give local people a say in the development of their area – including where homes, schools and businesses should be built, how they should look and a say in the infrastructure needed to support them.

Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis said:

“I’m delighted that 200 communities have now voted in neighbourhood planning to help shape the future of their areas.

“By giving communities new powers, we have removed the outdated system which often saw local areas pitted against developers – and it is clear that more and more people are getting involved with determining how the future of their area will evolve for future generations.

“Whole communities are encouraged to engage with the development of each plan as it passes through several stages, before being voted on in a referendum.”

Since 2013, all 200 plans that have progressed to the referendum stage have been approved by voters, with nearly 340,000 votes cast.

On average, 89% of people who have voted have been in favour of the proposed plan for their neighbourhood – the three neighbourhoods that approved their plans in Herefordshire voted 82% in favour.

The DCLG says that early figures indicate that plans for house building are more than 10% higher in areas that have a Neighbourhood Plan than in the council’s local plan.

As well as specifying the needs of their area local, people are also allowed to invoke “community right to build” legislation as part of the neighbourhood plan process.

This allows planning permission to be gained for a specific proposal on a site, without going through the traditional planning application process.

The recent Housing and Planning Act streamlined and simplified the process for putting a Neighbourhood Plan in place.

The Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme enables community groups to apply for grants of up to £9,000 – or up to £15,000 in areas with more complex needs – to acquire specialist planning expertise, develop websites and fund events to engage a wider number of residents.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors can advise on a wide range of housing law, including advising on planning applications and appeals, including applications by self-builders.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across the UK and our housing team are also able to advise on:

• Conveyancing services
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• Housing Benefit
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• Landlord and tenant disputes
• Lease extensions
• Local Authority housing
• Mortgage repossession
• Notice to quit
• Nuisance neighbours
• Right to Buy
• Right to Rent checks
• Tenancy agreements
• Unlawful eviction.

For expert legal advice on housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.