Angus Walker, partner and planning lawyer at Bircham Dyson Bell LLP believes that the Government may have over estimated the number and impact of neighbourhood plans, further to the latest part of the Localism Act coming into force last week, giving local communities planning powers.
"The Government has estimated that around 380 plans per annum will be put forward, but with the cost of each plan being anything between £20,000 and £86,000, although some have received funding, I don't believe there will be that many in practice," explains Angus Walker.
The plans will give local people the right to decide what types of developments can take place in their areas through formally agreed planning policies backed with the community right to build allowing development to take place. But the plans must not conflict with the strategic parts of the council's overall plan for the area.
"Although the Government has introduced neighbourhood plans to encourage development in local areas, it will be interesting to see if the same plans are used to stop undesired development such as controversial wind farms or larger housing developments," explains Angus Walker.
"People always find a way to get around the system and use it to their benefit if they so desire. We may find that the plans stop as many developments as they pass. Time will tell."
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