Welcome to Neighbourhood Planning Support, where you’ll find everything you need to know about how to develop a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order and what support is available to you.

As part of a pilot, additional support is available for groups bringing forward affordable housing for sale.

Important notices for Neighbourhood Planners

How Coronavirus affects neighbourhood planning

Continuing neighbourhood planning during COVID-19

Christmas closure

Please note decisions on any applications received in December may not be made until January 2021, and you should not commit to any expenditure prior to receiving a grant offer.

The Locality offices are closed between Christmas and New Year. If you submit an enquiry through the advice service after Wednesday 16 December, we will not be able to respond until the team return Wednesday 6 January.

Application deadline for grants for this financial year (2020/2021)

Applications for grant for 2020-2021 can be submitted until 5pm on 29 January 2021. This means the last date for completing an Expression of Interest form for a grant application is 5pm on 28 January (you will still need to complete your application form by 5pm on the 29 January). Expenditure through a grant must be completed on or before 31 March 2021.

Information about applying for the 2021/2022 grant programme will be coming soon. Please watch this space for further updates.

Applications for technical support will be considered on a rolling basis and are not affected by these timeframes.

Basic grant increase

Due to the impacts of coronavirus, the Basic Grant allowance has increased from £9,000 to £10,000. Further information can be found on page 8 of the guidance notes.

Further support for designated forums and/or groups in deprived areas

The Additional Grant and technical support criteria has been extended to support designated neighbourhood forums, and groups based in deprived areas (where 30% or more of the neighbourhood area or population is in the 20% most deprived areas in England in accordance with the Index of Multiple Deprivation). These groups can also receive a new facilitation package.

Find out more in the Guidance notes.