Government announces two key neighbourhood planning funds

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced on Saturday 24th April the launch of two new key neighbourhood planning funds.

The first fund is valued at £2.1 million and called the Bidding fund for local planning authorities in under-represented areas. The aim of this fund is for local planning authorities covering partly deprived or urban areas to apply for funding to kick-start neighbourhood planning groups (where they are currently under-represented). NALC calls on all local planning authorities bidding to this fund to engage with relevant local (parish and town) councils in their areas to source independent project management support to start new neighbourhood plans in their areas.

The second fund is called the Simpler approach to neighbourhood planning pilot. It is worth £330,000 and is open to fund 10 local planning authorities to engage in pilots to make neighbourhood planning simpler (which NALC supports) and increase volunteer input. Each funded planning authority is expected to support 3 local areas (so local councils are strongly encouraged to engage with planning authorities known to be making bids to this fund).

Read the prospectus and find out more about these two new funds