Urban and deprived areas to receive additional funding to plan their local neighbourhoods

Funding to help communities in urban and deprived areas plan their local neighbourhoods will almost double, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced.

Government grants to individual neighbourhood planning groups in both urban and deprived areas will increase from £10,000 to £18,000.

The government also announced it is providing these groups with access to additional technical expertise free of charge, such as for assessing their area’s housing needs, or developing masterplans.

The government says the funding boost will strengthen the voice of local communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas in England.

This comes after the government published its outline for significant changes to the planning system last week.

The overhaul will involve changes to developer contributions to local infrastructure, the introduction of ‘zoning’ into planning law and a requirement for local authorities to complete local plans within 30 months.

Cllr Sue Baxter, chairman of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) said: “England’s local (parish & town) councils are at the forefront of neighbourhood planning and make up the vast majority of the 2,600 places using this important tool in the planning system to shape development and housing in their areas.

“This additional grant funding for disadvantaged communities is particularly welcome and will provide a vital extra boost to help hundreds of areas prepare a plan.

“NALC would encourage local councils in those areas to use this additional funding to get started on neighbourhood planning to help build back better communities.

“Communities with an adopted neighbourhood plan in unparished areas are able to fast track the process to set up a local council so they can also benefit from local leadership and support the wider benefits and ambitions of neighbourhood planning.”

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: “The Government is overhauling the country’s outdated planning system to deliver the high-quality sustainable homes the country needs.

“Under the new system local communities will be in the driving seat deciding what is built and where. I want to ensure all communities have a strong voice in this process which is why I am doubling the funding available in some of the most deprived parts of the country to help residents in these areas shape the future of their neighbourhoods.”

According to the Government, the criteria for falling in to an ‘urban’ area is being non-parished. To qualify as a ‘deprived’ area, the area must be amongst the 20% most deprived in England in accordance with the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Adam Carey