Authority Monitoring Report 2020 to 2021

The Localism Act 2011 provides local communities with the opportunity to shape the area in which they live and work by giving Parish and Town Councils (or a neighbourhood forum where a Parish or Town Council does not exist), powers to create Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs) Neighbourhood Development Orders (NDOs) or Community Right to Build Orders (CRTBOs).

NDPs set out a vision, objectives and planning policies to shape the development of the neighbourhood area to which they relate, they form part of the development plan for the area and their policies are used in planning decisions. NDOs or CRTBOs can be used to grant permission directly for certain types of development in the neighbourhood area.

To make an NDP, NDO or CRTBO there are formal stages set out in legislation, mainly the Neighbourhood Planning General Regulations 2012 (as amended), and guidance that are the responsibility of the qualifying body and the local planning authority. The Localism Act also places a ‘duty to support’ on the local authority to guide Neighbourhood Plan preparation.

Buckinghamshire council takes a proactive and positive approach to neighbourhood planning, providing advice and support to those communities interested in producing NDPs, NDOs or CRTBOs. In October 2021 a neighbourhood planning coordinator post was created and filled.

A total of 64 parishes (40% of parishes in Buckinghamshire) have a designated neighbourhood area.

There are currently 30 made Neighbourhood Development Plans in Buckinghamshire. The latest plans to be made (adopted) are:

• Stewkley NDP (North Area) which was adopted on 2 December 2021
• Denham NDP (South Area) which was adopted on 21 January 2022

34 parishes are currently preparing their first NDP and 4 are reviewing their made plans.