Neighbourhood Planning guidance

Neighbourhood Planning is undertaken by local community groups, not the council, although we can provide some guidance and technical assistance.

The Government has also funded the following independent organisations to help advise and support you, and to provide some financial assistance to local communities interested in doing neighbourhood planning:

• Locality (The Building Community Consortium)
• Planning Aid (part of the Royal Town Planning Institute)

Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood Plans can only be prepared by a "Neighbourhood Forum" in areas like South Tyneside without parishes.

Neighbourhood Forums must:

• apply to the Council to be designated
• have at least 21 members, who live, work, or are a Councillor in the area
• have a written constitution 

On average, preparing a Neighbourhood Plan takes about two years.

Conditions of a Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood Planning does not mean that communities can plan how and what they like.

Neighbourhood Plans will have to meet a number of conditions:

• They must have regard to national planning policy;
• They must be in general conformity with the strategic policies contained within the local plan; and
• They must be compatible with EU obligations and human rights requirements.

The Council's Role

The Council has a duty to provide technical advice and practical support to those producing a Neighbourhood Plan. However, in view of current limits on our resources constraints, the level of support may be constrained at times.

The Council also has to: 

• Agree the composition of, and formally designate, neighbourhood forums;
• Agree the boundary of the area to be covered by a Neighbourhood Plan;
• Organise the check by an independent examiner into a Neighbourhood Plan before it can be voted on in a local referendum;
• Organise the referendums; the plan will need to get majority support;
• Adopt the Neighbourhood Plan and bring it into force.