Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proposals he has to enhance and extend neighbourhood plans.

The Government is fully committed to neighbourhood planning and recently introduced regulations that implement powers in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to speed up and simplify the neighbourhood planning process. To support the Government’s approach, the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, which went through Second Reading in Parliament on 10 October, contains measures to further strengthen neighbourhood planning.

We are also supporting neighbourhood planning through a £22.5 million support programme which has made over 1,500 payments to groups since April 2015. All groups can apply for a grant of up to £9,000. Additional grant and technical support is available to priority groups, including those in urban and more deprived areas. Groups can also access a range of tools and templates, and a dedicated advice service, to help them prepare their plans.