Authority Monitoring Report 2023 to 2024

The Localism Act 2011 provides local communities with the opportunity to shape the area in which they live and work by giving Parish and Town Councils (or a Neighbourhood Forum where a Parish or Town Council does not exist), powers to create Neighbourhood Development Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders.

Neighbourhood Development Plans set out a vision, objectives and planning policies to shape the development of the neighbourhood area to which they relate, they form part of the development plan for the area and their policies are used in planning decisions. Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders can be used to grant permission directly for certain types of development in the neighbourhood area.

To make a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Neighbourhood Development Order or Community Right to Build Order there are formal stages set out in legislation, mainly the Neighbourhood Planning General Regulations 2012 (as amended), and guidance. The Localism Act also places a ‘duty to support’ on the local authority to guide Neighbourhood Plan preparation.

Buckinghamshire Council takes a proactive and positive approach to neighbourhood planning. We have a dedicated Neighbourhood Planning Coordinator and Neighbourhood Planning Assistant as well as support from other officers in the council. We provide advice and support to those communities interested in producing Neighbourhood Development Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders or Community Right to Build Orders. We process plans and orders at key stages of the neighbourhood planning process – area designation, submission of the plan - and we organise a submission consultation, examination and referendum for each plan/order as it reaches these stages.

There are currently (the figures have been amended to reflect discrepancies in the 2022/23 AMR) :

• 73 parishes with a designated neighbourhood area (42.6% of Parishes in Buckinghamshire). In addition, there is one Neighbourhood Forum in the West Area. 8 of which were designated within 2023/24.
• 38 made Neighbourhood Development Plans in Buckinghamshire. 5 of which were made in 2023/24.
• 39 Neighbourhood Development Plans are in progress (including made plans which are under review). One of which started the review in 2023/24.