Share

flowers with fence behind

Eden Jackson

How can I respond to local and neighbourhood plans?

Local plans

District and borough councils develop and use Local Plans to make decisions about planning. These plans are designed to allow councils to ensure that development contributes towards their area’s specific needs, priorities and objectives. Any development proposals must comply with policies set out in each council's Local Plan, as well as national planning policies.

All local plans currently in force can be found on the websites of local councils. These should also state the council’s intentions for reviewing their local plan, which happens on a regular basis, including a timetable for preparation and consultation.

You can take part in consultations on Local Plans.

Keep an eye open for consultation announcements on your district council’s website and in the local press. Local Plan consultations are generally open for six weeks. Make sure you read through the consultation documents and background information when considering your reply, and submit your comments in the format requested by your local council. 

There is usually a chapter with specific policies for biodiversity which is worth checking out.

Make sure to include where relevant any knowledge you have about your local area, including its wildlife interest. Council officers may not be aware of it.

Ten tips for responding to local plans

Here are 10 things to ask for in a local plan review:

  1. Does the policies map show all wildlife sites: international, national and local (including Local Wildlife Sites or Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation) and opportunities for habitat creation and enhancement?
  2. Do development allocations avoid all wildlife sites?
  3. Is there a strong site protection policy, based on national policy?
  4. Do the policies safeguard priority habitats and priority areas for habitat enhancement in the Local Nature Recovery Strategy?
  5. Does it recognise the importance of Hertfordshire chalk streams?
  6. Does it promote the protection and recovery of priority species?
  7. Does it require at least 20% biodiversity net gain in order to contribute to coherent ecological networks?
  8. Does it require integral Swift and bat bricks in all new buildings?
  9. Does green and blue infrastructure have to include wildlife-friendly features and priority habitats?
  10. Does it provide access for people to nature following Natural England guidelines?

Neighbourhood Plans

Parish councils and neighbourhood forums in unparished areas have the power to put together a Neighbourhood Plan for their parish or neighbourhood.  Neighbourhood plans must conform with Local Plans and the National Planning Policy Framework. They form part of the statutory development plan.

Neighbourhood Plans are able to propose more development, but cannot reduce the amount of development in the area from that agreed in the Local Plan. 

Neighbourhood Plans can however guide where this development is located and how it is achieved. They can give parishes and neighbourhood forums the power to form and shape development.  For instance, a Neighbourhood Plan may enable development to be directed to less valued sites instead of important wildlife sites or community land. Neighbourhood Plans must by law take into account any Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Neighbourhood Plans can set out detailed design requirements for new development, such as wildlife-friendly features. There is no need to repeat biodiversity policies in the Local Plan, but if any of our top ten asks for Local Plans are missing, you may be able to ask for them to be included in a Neighbourhood Plan.

The Herts Environmental Records Centre can provide information on the species, wildlife sites and habitats of a parish to help inform the development of Neighbourhood Plans.