Neighbourhood planning 

Neighbourhood Plans are a key part of the Localism Act, passed by Parliament in November 2011. The Act shifts power away from central Government and towards local people, with greater powers being devolved to councils and neighbourhoods. Local communities now have the opportunity to have more control over housing and planning decisions.

A neighbourhood plan must be developed by the community. Our role in the process is to:

  • ensure that the intention to produce a neighbourhood plan and the area that it will cover is brought to the attention of people who live and work (or own a business) in the area
  • ensure that the 'qualifying body' that takes the plan forward meets the requirements of the Localism Act
  • help the community to ensure that the plan they produce is based on robust and credible evidence, is deliverable and consistent with other national and local planning policy
  • arrange for an inspector to examine the plan to make sure that it meets the requirements of a local planning document and can be used to help determine planning applications
  • arrange a referendum where everyone living in the area can vote to confirm whether they would like the plan to be adopted as part of its planning policy.

Producing a Neighbourhood Plan

A Neighbourhood Plan, which can become part of the statutory development plan for the designated area, can assist local communities in shaping how their locality develops by establishing general planning policies for the development and use of land within a defined area. The content of a Neighbourhood Plan can be adapted to reflect the local situation, but it is likely to include development management policies (for example, design policies).

To become part of the development plan, a Neighbourhood Plan must receive a majority ‘Yes’ vote in a local referendum organised by us. To reach the referendum stage, a Neighbourhood Plan needs to progress through several stages:

  1. Completed Neighbourhood Plans are submitted to us. We need to be satisfied that the submitted plan complies with the strategic priorities of the local development plan (for example, adopted Core Strategy).
  2. Following a period of public consultation, the submitted plan will be examined by an Independent Examiner who is required to ensure the plan meets a set of basic conditions and legal requirements.
  3. Following a successful examination, a submitted Neighbourhood Plan can continue to a local referendum and, if successful, be adopted as part of the development plan.

What can a Neighbourhood Plan contain?

A Neighbourhood Plan must be about  the use and development of land and buildings. It can set out how much, what type and where development should take place. It can also have a say in how buildings should look (their ‘design’). It cannot be used to prevent development that we have identified as being needed in our Core Strategy.

 Typical things that a Neighbourhood Plan might include:

  • The development of housing, including affordable housing
  • Providing for businesses to set up or expand their premises
  • Transport and access issues (roads, cycling, walking, disabled)
  • The development of schools, places of worship, health facilities, leisure and entertainment facilities, community and youth centres and village halls
  • The restriction of certain types of development and change of use - for example, to avoid too much of one type of use.
  • The design of buildings
  • Protection and creation of open space, nature reserves, allotments, sports pitches, play areas, parks and gardens, and the planting of trees
  • Protection of important buildings and historic assets, such as archaeological remains
  • Promotion of renewable energy projects, such as solar energy and wind turbines.

Neighbourhood Plans in Dacorum

Grovehill Future Neighbourhood Plan

Grovehill Future was the first area in Dacorum to test out the new planning powers. We have formally adopted the Grovehill Future Neighbourhood Plan, which incorporated the Examiner's recommendations:

The plan below was created prior to the Examiner's recommendations:

For more information on how this Neighbourhood Plan developed, please visit our Grovehill Neighbourhood Plan page (which shows the timeline/sequence of events).

Bovingdon Neighbourhood Plan

We consulted on the draft Bovingdon Neighbourhood Plan between 29 September and 12 November 2023. The plan and its supporting documents can be found on our Bovingdon Neighbourhood Plan page.

Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan

The Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted on 18 January 2023. It now forms part of the planning policy documents and, along with existing policy documents, is used to determine planning applications within Kings Langley parish. Further information, including the plan and its supporting documents, can be found on our Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan page.

Great Gaddesden Neighbourhood Plan

Great Gaddesden Parish Council is working on creating a neighbourhood plan to influence the way its area grows and develops into the future. For more information, please visit our Great Gaddesden Neighbourhood Plan page.

Berkhamsted Neighbourhood Plan

Berkhamsted Town Council has requested that the parish of Berkhamsted be designated as a Neighbourhood Area. Find out more on our Berkhamsted Neighbourhood Plan page.

More information

You can read more about the Neighbourhood Planning process on the Government website.

Hertfordshire County Council

The Development Services team at Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for responding to Local Plan requests from districts relating to HCC service requirements. It also provides responses on behalf of the services to Local Plan consultation documents. This includes Children’s Services (school planning/early years/youth services), Health and Community Services (accommodation/libraries/gypsy section), Community Protection (Fire and Rescue) and the Waste Disposal Authority.

Any requests for information regarding HCC services should be emailed to development.services@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Page Last Updated: Monday, 13 November 2023 at 02:56 PM