From Parish Plans to Neighbourhood From Parish Plans to Neighbourhood PlansPlans

Keith Harrison, Chief ExecutiveKeith Harrison, Chief Executive

www.ruralkent.org.uk

• Introduction & definitions• The journey to Neighbourhood Plans• Planning for the future…

From Parish Plans to Neighbourhood From Parish Plans to Neighbourhood PlansPlans

www.ruralkent.org.uk

“no-one should be disadvantaged because they live or work in a rural community”

• Formed in 1923: 15 staff, 25 contractors, 43 volunteers: Circa 700 projects per year.

• A charity (number 212796)

Action with Communities in Rural Action with Communities in Rural KentKent

www.ruralkent.org.uk

Key work areas:

• Community-led Planning, Community Asset Management, Affordable Housing, Access to Services (including broadband, retail, grants, healthcare etc.), policy-influence from a rural perspective

Action with Communities in Rural Action with Communities in Rural KentKent

www.ruralkent.org.uk

• “Community Led Planning (CLP) is a step-by-step process that enables every citizen to participate in, and contribute to, improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of their local area.”

Parish Plans: A definitionParish Plans: A definition

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• A process for producing an evidence-based assessment of local need, and mandate for acting to address it

• An opportunity to ‘reality-test’ ideas and support innovation

• Something done already by 4,000 communities in England

• Something underway, or complete in 110 communities in Kent

Community-led PlanningCommunity-led Planning

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Community-led PlanningCommunity-led Planning

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• “many civic organisations and many parishes up and down the country have already instigated processes that are pre-cursers to this…for those areas that have produced a plan of this sort, this is a great opportunity to give teeth to the provisions that they’ve

worked on”Rt. Hon. Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Decentralisation & Planning

Policy, March 2011

• A Community-led Plan with teeth, or just part of a Community-led Plan?

Neighbourhood Plans: a definitionNeighbourhood Plans: a definition

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• c.1972 – Stocksfield Neighbourhood Working Group

• 1980s, 1990s – Village Appraisals• 1990s, 2000s – Village Design Statements• 2000s – Parish Plans & Market Town Health-

checks• 2008 – Community Led Planning• 2011 – Neighbourhood Plans

The journey to Neighbourhood The journey to Neighbourhood PlansPlans

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• Participatory democracy: “get heard / share your vision”

• Save money: £80,000 per plan if done correctly?

• Opportunities for your community

Planning for the Future: Why?Planning for the Future: Why?

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• With help. ACRK and Govt. Schemes available• Using Community-led Planning Approach• Work with your local planning authority• As part of a suite of Localism Bill activity

Planning for the Future: How?Planning for the Future: How?

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• In your civil parish or, if this does not exist, a neighbourhood

• Within or across local planning authority boundaries

Planning for the Future: Where?Planning for the Future: Where?

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• Neighbourhood Plans are an evolutionary step from a community development point of view

• Neighbourhood Plans present an opportunity for all of us to inform our own futures

In conclusionIn conclusion

www.ruralkent.org.uk

Telephone01303-813790

Websitewww.ruralkent.org.uk/ourwork/community-planning.htmRural Officers: Carl Adams & Kathy BugdenCarl.adams@ruralkent.org.uk or

kathy.bugden@ruralkent.org.uk orCEO: Keith Harrison

keith.harrison@ruralkent.org.uk or www.twitter.com/ruralkeith

Further informationFurther information