Somerset Community Council

Our Work - Community Led and Neighbourhood Planning

Community Led planning is also known as Parish Planning, Community Led Planning (CLP) is a chance for everyone in to have a say about the social, economic and environmental issues affecting their community. The resulting action plan enables communities to achieve their goals.

Why should you do a Community Led Plan?

A CLP is an effective way of giving your community a voice and bringing tangible benefits. The Government's new Localism Bill will give new rights and powers to local communities and these can be used to make your community a better place to live and work.

What a CLP can achieve:

  • Give all local people (not just the confident) the chance to develop a vision for their community, identifying positive and negative issues.
  • Save a village shop from closing down or reopen a closed shop.
  • Establish other community owned assets e.g. pub, orchard, allotments.
  • Provide community transport.
  • Strengthen the Town or Parish Council's relationship with all sections of the community.
  • Create a new play area or place for young people to meet.
  • Identify local needs for affordable housing or community facilities.
  • Develop increased local voluntary action.
  • Produce evidence of need to support community fundraising applications.
  • Reinvigorate local democracy by stimulating interest in community affairs.
  • Produce a design statement for a new development.
  • Give a local dimension to broader planning policies.
  • Encourage partnership working.
  • Make links to the local Planning system.
  • Provide evidence of community needs and priorities for Town and Parish Councils to plan their resources and effort.

Neighbourhood Planning can be conducted following a Community Led Plan or independently and gives the community a genuine opportunity to influence development where they live. They can use the consultation process to say where they think new homes, business, retail and other services should go and what they should look like. Providing that the Neighbourhood Plan is in line with national planning policy and the strategic vision set by the Local Authority; local people can vote in a referendum which, if approved, will bring the Neighbourhood Plan into force.

Who can get involved?

The whole community is encouraged to participate in a plan, which is led by a steering group made up of interested individuals and representatives of local community groups.

How can we help:

Our Community Development Workers have a wealth of experience in supporting communities to produce a community led plan and we are now able to offer support and advice for those considering Neighbourhood Planning.

  • Guidance through the nine point Community Led Planning toolkit (compiled by our national body ACRE).
  • Support with the consultation process - click to see our consultation service.
  • Support to source funding for the process and actions that result from the plan – click to see our funding advice service.
  • Networking opportunities with other communities, who have undertaken, are in the process of undertaking or considering undertaking a Community Led Plan.
  • CALL Us for further information about Neighbourhood Planning or to read more click here for the Plain English Guide to the Localism Act.

For more information call 01823 331222 or email keeley@somersetrcc.org.uk