Cash boost for community planning
Author: Rhiannon Bury, Inside Housing |
The government has opened bidding for grants to help pay for the cost of putting together community planning documents.
Planning minister Greg Clark announced today that councils can apply for up to £30,000 from a £10 million pot to ensure communities are able to finalise neighbourhood plans.
The Localism Act, which received royal assent in November 2011, set out plans for communities to come together to design where new homes and infrastructure should go.
The money will be given to councils in two payments. The first, of £5,000 will be made once a neighbourhood area has been designated and the second payment of £25,000 will be made on successful completion of the neighbourhood planning independent examination.
The money can be used to help pay for the examination of plans and for advice and support.
According to the government, more than 200 communities have already started putting together neighbourhood plans.
Mr Clark said: ‘We have seen enormous enthusiasm from communities around England, jumping at the chance to be in the driving seat of deciding the future vision of their neighbourhood.
‘This fund will give councils and community groups working on plans a big boost in getting their vision in place as soon as possible to ensure people can enjoy the benefits sooner rather than later.’