Neighbourhood Planning
Supporting Local Communities
DAC Planning has experience in progressing Neighbourhood Plans from both the local authority perspective and also from supporting local communities. We can use our knowledge and experience to identify the most effective ways to progress the production of Neighbourhood Plans for the benefit of local communities, local authorities and other interested parties.
We understand that the planning system can be complicated and daunting, particularly for local communities when faced with the potential for significant change through proposals within emerging Local Plans or planning applications from developers. Through neighbourhood planning, local communities can take control of the future of their area, but often the process of producing a Neighbourhood Plan can be time consuming and difficult.
DAC Planning can provide the guidance and support which your community needs to successfully progress a Neighbourhood Plan. We can provide short term support to undertake specific tasks which will assist the progression of the Plan, or we can provide long term support to progress a Neighbourhood Plan from the initial stages through to adoption.
DAC Planning can provide the following neighbourhood planning support to local communities:
- Offering expert advice and problem solving;
- Production of scoping reports to begin to identify potential key issues for an area, vision statements, objectives, and policy ideas;
- Community and stakeholder engagement;
- Producing a consultation statement and basic conditions statement to support the submission of a Neighbourhood Plan;
- Undertaking research to inform decision making, policy production and and the production of evidence base documents;
- Drafting planning policies, supporting text, consultation documents and supporting material;
- Collating and analysing consultation representations, and reporting on the outcomes of a consultation;
- Producing evidence base documents on a range of subjects, reports to support decision making, and examination statements; and
- Representing the community group at Examination, consultation events, and stakeholder meetings.
Supporting local authorities
We are aware that local authorities can often be faced with significant resource demands and competing priorities, and without a dedicated neighbourhood planning officer it can be difficult to provide good quality support to local communities producing Neighbourhood Plans. DAC Planning has extensive experience in supporting community groups, reviewing emerging Plans, and examining Neighbourhood Plans from a local authority perspective.
DAC Planning can provide short term support to undertake specific neighbourhood planning tasks on behalf of a local authority, or we can provide long term support to oversee the progression of specific Neighbourhood Plans on behalf of a local authority. DAC Planning can provide the following neighbourhood planning support to local authorities:
- Offering expert advice and problem solving to local communities on behalf of the local authority;
- Reviewing emerging drafts of Neighbourhood Plans and associated evidence base documents to provide detailed comments to community groups on behalf of the local authority;
- Reviewing consultation statements and basic conditions statement to provide detailed comments to community groups on behalf of the local authority;
- Providing regular progress updates to local authorities on the production of Neighbourhood Plans;
- Producing Council reports and examination statements on matters relating to the progression of Neighbourhood Plans; and
- Representing the Council at Examination, consultation events, and stakeholder meetings relating to Neighbourhood Plans.
Supporting residents, organisations and stakeholders
Neighbourhood Plans can have wide ranging impacts, which can affect local residents, land owners, developers, and organisations in both positive and negative ways. Where the production of Neighbourhood Plans can include a large number of draft versions of the Plan, consultations, meetings, and an examination, we are aware that it can be difficult to remain up to date and fully understand the implications of an emerging Plan. DAC Planning can help you to influence the production of a Neighbourhood Plan by:
- Offering expert advice and problem solving to local communities on your behalf, and particularly related to your needs;
- Reviewing emerging drafts of Neighbourhood Plans and associated evidence base documents to provide detailed comments to community groups on your behalf;
- Reviewing consultation statements and basic conditions statement to provide detailed comments to community groups on your behalf;
- Providing regular progress updates on the production of a Neighbourhood Plan
- Producing examination statements on matters relating to the progression of a Neighbourhood Plan; and
- Representing you at Examination, consultation events, and stakeholder meetings relating to a Neighbourhood Plan.