May 2015

Up Front: neighbourhood planning news, May 2015

Resources for neighbourhood planning: putting the pieces togetherPlanning Aid England has produced a suite of resources to assist those developing a neighbourhood plan.The resources provide practical tips and advice on various stages of the neighbourhood plan process from designating the neighbourhood area to submitting the plan for examination. They are designed for community groups to use. They include a series of how to guides, templates and videos. Topics include Project planning Resourcing your neighbourhood plan Making effective decisions Sharing the workload Engaging and working with your local planning authority Designating your neighbourhood area Setting up a neighbourhood forum Working with landowners and developers Developing a vision and objectives Gathering and using evidence Design and character assessments Writing planning policies Structuring your neighbourhood plan Preparing your consultation statement Preparing your basic conditions statement Submitting your plan for examination For more information visit the Forum for Neighbourhood Planning.

Consultation on draft revised Statement of Community Involvement

Bristol City Council will begin seeking views on a revised draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) on 11^th May 2015.

The SCI sets out how the council involves people on planning applications and its Local Plan. The existing SCI was approved in 2008 and is now being revised to ensure it is up to date. Following initial engagement with the NPN’s member groups and the Planning User Group, which consists of architects and planning consultancies operating in Bristol, the council is keen to receive comments on the revised draft SCI.

The revised draft is now available to view (from 11^th May) on the council’s website: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/node/1595 and in local libraries. Information is provided in the document regarding how comments can be submitted. The closing date for responses is 31st July 2015.