The Localism Act 2011 introduced statutory Neighbourhood Planning in England. It enables communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Development Plan for their area and is intended to give communities more of a say on the development of their local area (within certain limits and parameters).
If adopted, a Neighbourhood Development Plan will be a statutory planning document and the policies contained within it will be used, alongside the Local Plan and national planning policy, in the determination of planning applications. It must be stressed that the policies produced cannot block development that is already part of the Local Plan. What they can do is shape where that development will go and what it will look like.
As well as Neighbourhood Development Plans, the Localism Act also enabled communities to shape development in their area through the production of Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders. Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders allow communities to grant planning permission either in full or in outline for the types of development they want to see in their areas.
For more information about neighbourhood planning please contact the neighbourhood planning liaison officer at the relevant Local Authority.
The note below explains how the production of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan and emerging neighbourhood plans can be aligned. This note has been prepared to assist those preparing neighbourhood plans and those considering whether to prepare a neighbourhood plan.