Housing Minister Dominic Raab has announced that more communities across England will be able to get free access to expert advice and guidance to help make their neighbourhood vision a reality
A £23m fund – delivered by Locality and Groundwork – will help local groups develop a neighbourhood plan. These plans give local communities a say in the development of their area, including where homes, schools and businesses should be built, how they should look and what infrastructure is needed to support them.
Community groups will be able to access a range of free help including financial support and latest planning expertise from trained professionals, to guide them through the process of preparing a neighbourhood plan.
Raab said: “Neighbourhood plans are a powerful tool to help communities shape their local area, making sure the right homes are built in the right places.
“It’s vital that communities have the right support and advice available to help deliver a plan that meets their own ambitious aspirations. That’s why I’m making £23m available that will help more groups to do this.”
Over 2,300 communities across England have started the process of neighbourhood planning, with 530 plans approved in local referendums.
Previous government support has helped around 7 out of 10 of these communities progress their plans, with 365 neighbourhood plans finalised using support provided by the government.
The maximum grant available has also been increased by £2,000 to £17,000, helping communities to access more resources to develop a plan for their area.
Community groups can find more information about how to apply for funding via: www.neighbourhoodplanning.org. Applications to bid for funding will open on 3 April 2018.
