How we can help with neighbourhood planning
Neighbourhood planning activity is led by your parish or town council, or in the case of an unparished area, a neighbourhood forum, but it is not led by us. However, we offer advice and support to groups so that they can navigate their way through the process.
We recommend that you get advice at the earliest possible stage of your neighbourhood plan development. See Neighbourhood planning step by step process which explains the various stages of the neighbourhood planning process.
Some of the ways we can help groups include:
- Allocating an officer to provide one-to-one support and technical advice before the preparation of an application to designate a neighbourhood area and throughout the production of the neighbourhood plan or order
- Providing information and advice that will ensure neighbourhood plans and development orders are in line with:
- National planning policies and law, see Gov.uk: National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) - Planning practice guidance and that they are in general conformity with our local plans.
- International, European and national designations (for example, heritage and natural environment) and European environmental and human rights laws.
For further information and advice please contact us
Other guidance and useful links
My Community is a website giving information on community rights information and grant programmes funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). The website offers technical support and grant funding and has many resources which can help you with writing a plan or preparing an order. The website includes:
- funding advice
- links to regulations
- planning guides
- neighbourhood plan/order resources kit
- frequently asked questions
See also:
- Spatial Policy
- spatialpolicy@durham.gov.uk
- 03000 263 967
