Neighbourhood Planning Resources

This webpage provides information to help town and parish councils decide whether they want to create a neighbourhood plan, and if they do, how to go about preparing one.

We've split the information below into the following sections:

• Deciding to produce a neighbourhood plan
• Getting started
• Preparing the plan
• Sources of evidence and information
• Writing planning policies
• Bringing the plan into force
• Delivering and monitoring the plan
• Other guidance and useful links
• Neighbourhood planning interactive map
   

Deciding to produce a neighbourhood plan

• WBC NP Advice Note 1 - Overview of neighbourhood planning [388KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 2 - Differences between neighbourhood plans and other community plans [26KB]
• Locality Guidance - Step by step roadmap guide to creating a neighbourhood plan
• Locality Guidance - Neighbourhood Development Orders and other community plans
• WBC NP Advice Note 3 - Cost of producing a neighbourhood plan [127KB]

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Getting started

• WBC NP Advice Note 4 - Establishing a steering group [26KB]
• Locality Guidance - Producing a terms of reference for the steering group
• WBC NP Advice Note 5 - Designating a Neighbourhood Area [17KB]
• Locality Guidance - Funding support available
• WBC NP Template 1 - neighbourhood plan project plan [49KB]
• Locality Guidance - How to commission consultants to work on a neighbourhood plan
• WBC NP Advice Note 6 - Neighbourhood planning procedures [32KB]

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Preparing the plan

• WBC NP Advice Note 7 - Developing a vision and objectives [37KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 8 - Generating options [13KB]
• Locality Guidance - How to consult with the community
• RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - Structuring a neighbourhood plan [366KB]

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Sources of evidence and information

Climate change and sustainability

• Locailty Guidance - How to write a neighbourhood plan in a climate emergency
• Centre for Sustainable Energy Guidance for Neighbourhood Plans
   

Design

• Locality Guidance - Achieving well-designed places through neighbourhood planning
• Design Council Guidance - Design Codes
   

Historic environment

• Historic England - Neighbourhood planning advice
• West Berkshire Council Archaeology Team - Assistance to neighbourhood planning groups [27KB]
• West Berkshire Council Archaeology Team - Assistance Request Form [91KB]
   

Housing

• Locality Guidance - How to undertake a Housing Needs Assessment
   

Landscape

• CPRE guidance - considering the landscape in a neighbourhood plan
• North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB) planning resources
• WBC Landscape Character Assessments
   

Local Green Space Designations

• WBC NP Advice Note 11 - Local Green Space designations [159KB]
   

Natural environment

• Locality Guidance - How to consider the environment in a neighbourhood plan
• Thames Valley Environment Research Centre - Support Available for Groups Preparing Neighbourhood Plans
   

Site selection and allocation

• WBC Advice Note 10: How to assess and allocate sites for development [262KB]
• RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - How to work with landowners and developers [403KB]
• WBC Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)
   

Transport

• Locality Guidance - What transport matters can a neighbourhood plan address?
   

Viability

• Locality Guidance - Testing the viability of proposals in a neighbourhood plan
   

Other

• WBC NP Advice Note 9 - Sources of evidence and information [518KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 12: Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal & Habitat Regulation Assessment [65KB]
• Demographic data for West Berkshire
• West Berkshire Local Plan Review evidence documents 

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Writing planning policies

• Locality Guidance - Writing planning policies
• RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - Deconstructed planning policies [501KB]
• South Oxfordshire District Council Guidance - Examples of adopted Neighbourhood Development Plan policies
• Locality Guidance - General conformity with strategic local planning policy

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Bringing the plan into force

• WBC NP Advice Note 13 - Weight of emerging plans [111KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 14 - Pre-submission (Regulation 14) consultation [33KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 15 - Statutory consultees [20KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 16 - Writing a consultation statement [20KB]
• WBC NP Template 2 - Consultation statement [31KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 17: What are the Basic Conditions and how to write a Basic Conditions statement [200KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 18 - Submission checklist [7KB]
• Locality Guidance: How to prepare for, and what to expect, at examination
• WBC NP Advice Note 19 - Referendum [33KB]
• WBC NP Advice Note 20 - Referendum publicity (campaigning) and expenses [291KB]

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Delivering and monitoring the plan

• Locality Guidance - How to implement, monitor, and review a made neighbourhood plan

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Other guidance and useful links

• Locality Guidance - Case studies
• Locality Guidance - Understanding the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
• WBC NP Advice Note 21: Frequently asked questions [141KB]
• Locality Guidance - Glossary of neighbourhood planning terms
• Locality Guidance - Glossary of planning terms
• Locality
• MHCLG Guidance - Changes to neighbourhood planning in response to Coronavirus [89KB]
• MCHLG - Notes on neighbourhood planning
• National Planning Policy Framework
• National Planning Practice Guidance
• Neighbourhood Planning Legislation
• RTPI Planning Aid England
• West Berkshire Council online map
• West Berkshire Council planning application search

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Neighbourhood planning interactive map

To help in the preparation of neighbourhood plans, we have developed a neighbourhood planning interactive map which shows constraints, planning applications, the progress of neighbourhood plans in the district, and designations contained within the current Local Plan.

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