Neighbourhood Planning - General Guidance
Neighbourhood Planning is a new option for communities to decide the future of the places where they live.
It is a community right introduced by the Localism Act 2011 and is intended to complement other plans produced by the Council, either through the production of a Neighbourhood Development Plan or Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO).
Neighbourhood Plans and NDOs can be used to add more detail to the policies in the Council’s plans, or cover other aspects appropriate to the aspirations of the community living in the area.
Neighbourhood Plans and NDOs can be used to add more detail to the policies in the Council's plans, or cover other aspects appropriate to the aspirations of the community living in the area. Only a Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum (where no parish council exists) may prepare a Neighbourhood Plan or NDO - although they may need the help from local volunteers.
Once adopted by the Council, the Neighbourhood Plan or NDO will then form part of the Local Plan for Northampton, and will be used in making decisions on planning applications in the area.
A Neighbourhood Plan MUST:
| Be locally specific | |
| Address planning matters | |
| Be based on evidence | |
| Be in line with national and local planning policies | |
| Be informed by the views of local people, and involve them throughout the process | |
| Follow the legal process |
Neighbourhood Plans should seek to achieve the following principles:
| Empower local people to shape their areas. Plans should be kept up-to-date and be based on co-operation and joint working | |
| Be creative in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which people live their lives | |
| Sustainably meet the need for housing, employment and infrastructure | |
| Seek to achieve high quality design and good standards of amenity for current and future residents | |
| Recognise the different roles and character of different areas | |
| Support the shift to a low-carbon future, and adapting to a changing climate | |
| Conserve and enhancing the natural environment | |
| Encourage the reuse of previously developed land (except where of high environmental value) | |
| Promote mixed use developments, and encourage multiple benefits from the use of land | |
| Conserve heritage assets | |
| Encourage public transport, walking and cycling, and focus development in locations where sustainable transport is a realistic option | |
| Deliver community and cultural facilities and services to meet local needs |
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