Joint Neighbourhood Plans - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

I attended a seminar today and the speaker confirmed that a number of Parishes could join together to produce a joint nh/plan. It appears the area for the plan is to be decided by the community not LPA or Govt.

Section 61F of the Act makes it quite clear that a neighbourhood development plan or order (it appplies to both) can extend beyond one parish provided that all the parishes are in agreement. However if they don't agree there's no way of forcing it through - it simply won't happen. SImilarly the district / borough council need to agree the area - so if it is really important that two parish councils do work together, there is a mechanism to ensure they don't go their separate ways. From http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/pdfs/ukpga_20110020_en.pdf 61F Authorisation to act in relation to neighbourhood areas (1) For the purposes of a neighbourhood development order, a parish council are authorised to act in relation to a neighbourhood area if that area consists of or includes the whole or any part of the area of the council. (2) If that neighbourhood area also includes the whole or any part of the area of another parish council, the parish council is authorised for those purposes to act in relation to that neighbourhood area only if the other parish council have given their consent.

Thanks James. I too have heard that they can, I'm just looking for the specific part of the act/regulations that permits it. It is interesting that they said that the plan area is to be decided by the community, when the Act (Section 61 (G))- and the draft regulations, indicate that it's the LPA who have to publicise the application and designate the area.

Thanks Jo- really was a case of not finding it for looking. Have read that part of the Act so many times in the past 24 hours! It's also in the explanatory notes if anyone else is having trouble! http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/section/116/notes

Many of the pilots are groups of parishes. In Cumbria a large group of parishes around Kirkby Stephen are preparing a joint plan as are Coniston and Torver Parish Councils.