The Eden Project is setting up camp in York this week to provide a series of sessions for communities that are involved in writing neighbourhood plans for their areas.
Neighbourhood plans are designed to guide new development andgive local communities powers to create their own plans and policies, and are being introduced nationally following new government rules with grants and support provided by Locality and partners RTPI, CDF, The Eden Project and others.
The camps are already fully booked, taking place in York (23 – 15 March) and Oxford (3 – 5 April) they will offer a combination of plenary sessions featuring people who have been there and done it, hands-on workshops, site visits and plenty of time for discussion, debate and networking.
In York, over 450 residents had their say on Dunnington’s plan proposals last September, which paved way for the city’s first parish council to progress its own neighbourhood plan.
Copmanthorpe Parish Council has since become the second parish to have a plan area approved and a six-week consultation is currently underway (17 March to 28 April 2014) for Murton Parish Council.
Planning Camps are funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and delivered by the Eden Project in partnership with Locality and Planning Aid England.
As the Local Planning Authority, the council works with Parish Councils and formally submits their applications for designation of a neighbourhood plan area.
For more information about neighbourhood plans in York please visit: www.york.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning
Once the neighbour area is formally agreed, drafting of the plan may commence. Ahead of adoption the plan would need to be examined by an independent inspector. Plans must have regard to national planning policy, be in general conformity with strategic policies in the York Local Plan and must be compatible with EU obligations and human rights requirements.
To find out more about the camps visit: http://www.edenproject.com/whats-it-all-about/places-and-regeneration/neighbourhood-planning/neighbourhood-planning-conference
To find out more about the Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning programme visit the My Community Rights website, where you can access resources, case studies and apply for grants and get further advice and support.