- Neighbourhood Plans were introduced by the Localism Act 2011 to set planning policies for a designated area.
- To come into force the plan is independently examined and then subject to a local referendum.
- It has the same legal force as the Dorset Council Local Plan, and planning applications must take it into account.
- You can read more about Neighbourhood Plans on the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning website.
What are the Benefits?
- It gives our community a say over the type and design of new developments, and the appropriate infrastructure required to accommodate an increasing population.
- It allows planning policies to be specified for a wide range of topics, e.g.:
- sites designated for future housing, offices, shops etc,
- design standards that must be followed for new housing,
- environmental standards for new housing,
- new greenspaces designated that will be protected from development,
- sites designated for affordable housing,
- sites designated for community-led development schemes, e.g. community land trust
- transport needs for new developments, e.g. parking spaces, cycle paths & public transport links.
- Once a plan is in place it must be taken into account in planning decisions, with the same legal status as the Local Plan.
- Where a Neighbourhood Plan is in place, the parish receives a larger share of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charged to developers of new developments, 25% rather than the normal 15%. This will allow us to invest in new or improved community facilities within Colehill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Can a Neighbourhood Plan be used to stop development?
A – No, Neighbourhood Plans must seek to meet the development needs of their area, and can’t change or conflict housing allocations specified in the Dorset Council Local Plan. They can however be used to set design or infrastructure requirements that the new housing must meet.
Q – How long does a Neighbourhood Plan take to produce?
A – Typically 2 to 3 years, to seek input from the community and develop proposed policies, which are then subject to an independent examination and a local referendum before the plan comes into force.
Q – How long will the plan be in force?
A – The duration can be determined by us, but typically Neighbourhood Plans are in force for 10 to 20 years.