Neighbourhood Planning

They are developed by 'Neighbourhood Forums', a Neighbourhood Plan can set out general planning principles for the development of the Neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Plans are about supporting growth and must be consistent with national planning policy and the policies in the City Council's Local Plan.

These allow local communities to grant planning permission for certain types of development that they want to see go ahead in a community area. Neighbourhood Development Orders could, for example, allow new homes and offices to be built without developers having to apply for separate planning permission.

An order that can be made by the local planning authority that grants planning permission for a site-specific development proposal or classes of development.

The Localism Act introduced a number of rights to empower communities. This includes Neighbourhood Planning as one way for communities to influence and shape development in their area. In addition to its statutory duties, the City Council can offer the following support to communities in this role:

Initial support

The Council can offer initial advice to groups interested in producing Neighbourhood Plans. Primarily this will relate to the processes and legislation involved in establishing a Neighbourhood Forum and in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan.

Ongoing support to approved Forums

Following approval of a Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Area, Nottingham City Council can provide background demographic and evidence-base information that is readily available to the Council. The Council will also be available to undertake a meeting with the forum at the following key stages in the process:

• Meeting 1: Issues/Options/Project planning
• Meeting 2: Developing Vision/Objectives
• Meeting 3: Evidence Review
• Meeting 4: Policy development
• Meeting 5: Pre-submission / Pre-examination
• Meeting 6: Post Examination / Referendum

Further planning assistance on emerging Neighbourhood Plans

• The Council will offer to provide a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Opinion. The Council will not, however, be able to undertake any further work on an Environmental Impact Assessment should the SEA screening opinion determine the need to carry out such an assessment
• The Council will offer comments on draft plans prior the statutory consultation phase

Nottingham City Council has approved an application for the designation of a Neighbourhood Forum and a Neighbourhood Area (as amended) in Sneinton.

Nottingham City Council had approved an application for the designation of a Neighbourhood Forum and a Neighbourhood Area (as amended) in Sneinton in February 2015.

The Forum has not brought forward a Neighbourhood Plan, and in the absence of a formal request to extend the lifetime of the Forum and Neighbourhood Area, both designations ceased to exist by virtue of S61F (8) of the Town & Country Planning Act after 5 years, on 24 February 2020.

Background

For archive purposes, links to copies of the original application and supporting documents can be found below.

The documents can be viewed below;

• Map of the originally proposed Neighbourhood Area boundary
• Approved Sneinton Neighbourhood Area Boundary
• Application Letter from Sneinton Neighbourhood Forum
• Consultation undertaken by Sneinton Neighbourhood Forum

More information on neighbourhood planning can be found at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government web page. 

The ‘Neighbourhood Planning’ website also has support, advice and funding details.

The Local Plan team are hybrid working and so you are advised to make initial contact by emailing localplan@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.