This week I’ll be going along to East Coker Parish Council to talk to them about Neighbourhood Plans.

These were introduced so that communities could get together to make a formal plan to bring forward development (I chose those words carefully). In many cities, this will mean that neighbourhoods can make a start on regenerating themselves, tidying eyesores, meeting local needs, etc.. They can even go as far as making Neighbourhood Development Orders, which are effectively open planning permissions, made “up front” to speed up building. So powerful are these new Orders that you can even override Green Belt and National Park planning restrictions with them.

Despite the name of the Localism Act and the constant pronouncements by Minister Eric Pickles, central government did not actually give up its power, and the rules on how to do Neighbourhood Plans are quite specific. Firstly the Neighbourhood Planning process is bureaucratic. The area of the Plan, and the group doing the work must both be approved. This is to make sure the group properly reflects the whole community, including commerce and neighbours. Work must meet similar professional standards to those used by the local authority planners and be evidence-led. Once the plan is laid out and agreed by the whole group, it is submitted, through the Council, to an Inspector. Although this doesn’t mean the Planning Inspectorate any more, the Inspector still has to be an “independent person” of appropriate calibre. The Inspector checks the plan is “sound” and that it is compatible with the Local Plan for the District. Provided it is, there is then a vote, by all of the people in the plan area. These plebiscites typically cost about £2.00 per elector (i.e. about £10,000 for Brympton, less if held alongside an election) and together with any planners’ fees and the inspector’s fees they make doing a Neighbourhood Plan an expensive process! If the final plan gets a majority in the vote, it is finally submitted to the Local Planning Authority for adoption. As I said … central government doesn’t give up power easily!

Because the Government wants more building, not less, they set Neighbourhood Plans up the same way. The plan must accord with the Local Plan above it, but can add more development if that’s what the community want. You can’t use the process to reduce development, only shape it.

Given the above, I would argue that South Somerset has already got a far quicker, cheaper system and a community will never need to finish a Neighbourhood Plan. Since 2006 SSDC has operated a system called Development Management. Under this system, planners work with both developers and local communities to bring forward development which meets local needs. For example, much of the new housing in villages has come about because local people approached the Council about getting some houses built which people who grew up in a village can afford. Evidence of need is where this work starts, so it doesn’t have to wait for an inspection or a vote. By the time a Neighbourhood Plan could be finished, the houses would be built and people living in them!

South Somerset has also worked on making “Parish Plans” and “Village Design Statements” part of the system. Guidance on how to make an effective plan is on the SSDC web-site (and has been since 2007). Most of the time, developers realise that they will get a quicker planning decision (and profit) if they go with, rather than against, a well-argued local position. We have seen plans go through committee in less than 20 minutes!

I don’t know how the meeting with East Coker will go. It depends what they really want to achieve but my job is to work positively with them (and I want to help). Fingers crossed!

Peter

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