2025-06-21 09:52:52 +0100
To: The UK Government and especially the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution
Continuing support funding for community-led Neighbourhood Plans
I want the Minister and UK Government that have successfully supported - according to the organisation, 'Locality' - "over 2,400 communities" to embark upon Neighbourhood Plans, not to terminate this funding.
More "than 1,000 plans" up to now now have legal force to influence what development happens where within a locality.
More "than 1,000 plans" up to now now have legal force to influence what development happens where within a locality.
Why is this important?
Cancelling Neighbouhood Plan NP and technical support grants (via Locality) is a means to stop communities having the ability to foster community empowerment and self-help.
The loss of Neighbourhood Planning (NP) and technical support grants is a fundamental shift that risks shattering the core principles of Localism just as they have begun to bear fruit.
Without central support:
- Communities and their Town & Parish Councils, with limited budgets, will likely be unable to adequately fund, and provide the technical knowledge, to undertake a Neighbourhood Plan
- Communities in deprived or rural areas - most in need of shaping local growth - will be disproportionately disadvantaged
- Developers will gain disproportionate influence, with local policy-making weakened, at precisely the moment that central and regional planning is being streamlined
The implications are significant:
- End of equitable NP access: Wealthier or better-resourced communities may still produce NPs; others will struggle to start or update them
- Loss of technical advice: this is absolutely critical for navigating environmental assessment requirements, site assessments, and policy compliance — without this, many draft NPs would not meet required basic legal tests. This will have the greatest impact on communities trying to shape their own futures, because common sense and the democratic voice will be significantly muted.
- Organic developments - that would keep the life blood pumping in smaller communities - will now either not be allocated or will be determined strategically where the local voice does not necessarily prevail.
- It totally undermines the Localism (2011) Act’s intent: that communities should have a real say in where and how development happens.
