Authority Monitoring Report 2022 to 2023

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, Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders.

Neighbourhood Development Plans 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. Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders can be used to grant permission directly for certain types of development in the neighbourhood area.

To make a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Neighbourhood Development Order or Community Right to Build Order 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. We have a dedicated Neighbourhood Planning Coordinator as well as support from other officers in the council. We provide advice and support to those communities interested in producing Neighbourhood Development Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders. We process plans and orders at key stages of the neighbourhood planning process – area designation, submission of the plan and we organise a submission consultation, examination and referendum for each plan/order as it reaches these stages. (8) In this regulation “neighbourhood development order” has the meaning given in section 61E of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 M3.

There are currently:

• 72 parishes with a designated neighbourhood area (42.1% of Parishes in Bucks). In addition, there is one Neighbourhood Forum in the West Area. Five of which were designated within 2022/23.
• 37 made Neighbourhood Development Plans in Buckinghamshire. Two of which were made in 2022/23.
• 40 Neighbourhood Development Plans in progress (including made plans which are under review). One of which started the review in 2022/23.

There is also:

• One Neighbourhood Development Order in progress.
• One Community Right to Build Order.