Re: Neighbourhood Plan Potential Costs - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

PCs don't pay for the Referendum or Inspection that is funded by the LPA (who I am lead to believe will get the money back from DCLG along with a payment to cover their duty to support - this assumption is based on what Gareth Bradford from DCLG said in response to some questions at a PAE Event I attended in Newcastle). I would try to talk in very broad terms about how much it will cost as it depends on the scope and amount of additional background evidence that may need to be prepared to inform the plan. The other hidden cost is if the Plan needs an SA, which it might if your CS isn't adopted. It might be worth while you contacting the Dawlish Neighbourhood Plan Team to see roughly how much they spent although they were a front runner so I would guess under 20K and the plan was recently rejected at examination. Still they are one of the most advanced thus far. Another name to consider is Much Wenlock I know they advanced quite quickly at the start but don't know where they are at now.

Hi Wolverhampton (urban area with no Parish Councils) has two Neighbourhood Plans coming forward. The Council have agreed budgets for the plans as follows: - Tettenhall Neighbourhood Plan = £70k - Heathfield Park Neighbourhood Plan = £90k This includes the cost for Sustainability Appraisal, examination, referrendum, evidence gathering and consultation / publicity. Even then, these budgets are tight and based on estimated costs of examination and referrendum. At the same time Tettenhall covers a large area (22,000 population), Heathfield Park a smaller area (4,000) but face very different issues hence the difference in budgets. Oh and these figures include the £20k we received from CLG as a frontrunner - it would be nice to know if there is other money available. I've attached a presentation I gave to the South Staffordshire Parish Forum on our experiences so far, covering budget and other issues - hope you find this useful.

CLGs estimates on the cost of preraing a NDP can be found in the Localism Bill: neighbourhood plans and community right to build - Impact assessment (see attached). Also attached is the response to the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations: Consultation. Para 67 of which states that "The Government has made up to £50 million available to March 2015 to support those local authorities who incur additional burdens as a result of the Localism Act’s neighbourhood planning provisions" Now how you get your hands on this money is different question entirely I would suggest contacting someone at DCLG. Ok so I am struggling to attach so here are some links: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localismneighbourhoodplans http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/2111966.pdf

Hi all, Many thanks for replying so quickly and the useful links and attachments. It does seem to be a bit of an unknown doesn't it?! And doesn't look like the 20K goes very far! I don't think I will mention that LPAs can get the money back from DCLG along with a payment to cover their duty to support just yet! I'm hoping to produce a series of local helpsheets which may reduce pressure on our resources as our main priority is to get the new local plan in place asap. Thanks again

Much Wenlock anticipates that its costs might reach £25,000 and the Town Council has reserved £5,000 in addition to the DCLG grant. Its spend is detailed on the Neighbourhood Plan's website. This give lots of current information including the results of its recent Residents Survey: www.wenlockplan.org

Hi Everyone, we have been pondering the same question. Some of the pathfinders seem to be suggesting total costs in the region of £100K (e.g. Thame and Faversham), which is above the range suggested in the DCLG Impact Assessment for Neighbourhood plans in March this year of between £20K-86K - a useful document in itself by the way (see:http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/2100392.pdf). This suggests costs to a neighbourhood planning forum preparing a plan could be as follows: Consultants: £5-10K Publicity and Publication of Neighbourhood Plan: £1.5-7K SEA/SA: £0-30K That's assuming they can tap into the LPA's evidence base. If new studies have to be commissioned this could add to these 'core' costs. Costs to LPAs assisting in the process could be in the region of: Examination: £5-8K Referendum: £11.5-25K Plus Officer time: £?? That is per plan. Government funding is being made available to reimburse some of the costs to the LPA (up to £40K per plan - this is based on a £50m pot of funding available over the Comprehensive Spending Review Period and an assumption that a certain number of Neighbourhood Plans come forward each year (380)). If there is a rush to prepare plans that £40K may shrink. Hope this helps, Ian Bailey Planning Policy Manager Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council