Neighbourhood Planning Resources
Helping town and parish councils create a neighbourhood plan.
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 - Is neighbourhood planning the right approach? [244KB] -
WBC NP Advice Note 2 - Overview of Neighbourhood Planning [193KB]
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: How to create a neighbourhood plan
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Locality Guidance - Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders [1MB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 3 - Cost of producing a neighbourhood plan [89KB]
Getting started
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WBC NP Advice Note 4 - Establishing a steering group [147KB]
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Locality Guidance - How to write a terms of reference for a neighbourhood plan steering group [1MB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 5 - Designating a Neighbourhood Area [112KB]
WBC NP Template 1 - neighbourhood plan project plan [49KB] -
Locality Guidance - How to commission consultants to work on a neighbourhood plan [1MB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 6 - Neighbourhood planning procedures [32KB]
Preparing the plan
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WBC NP Advice Note 7 - Developing a vision and objectives [37KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 8 - Generating options [13KB]
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Locality Guidance - Engaging your community in a meaningful way [2MB]
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RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - Structuring a neighbourhood plan [366KB]
Sources of evidence and information
Climate change and sustainability
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Centre for Sustainable Energy Guidance - Neighbourhood planning in a climate emergency [2MB]
- Centre for Sustainable Energy Guidance for Neighbourhood Plans
Design
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Locality Guidance - Design Codes [1MB] . To support the guidance, Locality have prepared the following templates:
- Design Council Guidance - Design Codes
Historic environment
- Historic England - Neighbourhood planning advice
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West Berkshire Council Archaeology Team - Assistance to neighbourhood planning groups [27KB]
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West Berkshire Council Archaeology Team - Assistance Request Form [91KB]
Housing
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
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
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WBC Advice Note 10: How to assess and allocate sites for development [262KB]
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: How to assess and allocate sites for development
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RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - How to work with landowners and developers [403KB]
- WBC Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)
Transport
Viability
Other
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WBC NP Advice Note 9 - Sources of evidence and information [518KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 12: Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal & Habitat Regulation Assessment [226KB]
- Demographic data for West Berkshire
- West Berkshire Local Plan Review evidence documents
Writing planning policies
- MHCLG Guidance: MHCLG: How to write planning policies for a neighbourhood plan
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RTPI Planning Aid England Guidance - Deconstructed planning policies [501KB]
- South Oxfordshire District Council Guidance - Examples of adopted Neighbourhood Development Plan policies
Bringing the plan into force
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WBC NP Advice Note 13 - Weight of emerging plans [111KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 14 - Pre-submission (Regulation 14) consultation [33KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 15 - Statutory consultees [20KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 16 - Writing a consultation statement [20KB]
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WBC NP Template 2 - Consultation statement [31KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 17: What are the Basic Conditions and how to write a Basic Conditions statement [200KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 18 - Submission checklist [7KB]
- Locality Guidance: How to prepare for, and what to expect, at examination
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WBC NP Advice Note 19 - Referendum [33KB]
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WBC NP Advice Note 20 - Referendum publicity (campaigning) and expenses [291KB]
Delivering and monitoring the plan
Other guidance and useful links
- Locality Guidance - Case studies
- Locality Guidance - Understanding the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
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WBC NP Advice Note 21: Frequently asked questions [141KB]
- Locality Guidance - Glossary of neighbourhood planning terms
- Locality Guidance - Glossary of planning terms
- Locality
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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
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 .
