Overview

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program in England and Wales to allow residents to have a more direct role in local planning decisions. It involves funding community-led initiatives to develop local planning policies through collaborative processes, including charrettes and form-based design codes.

Description

The Direct Planning (Pilot) Bill creates pilot schemes enabling residents, through neighbourhood forums or community organizations, to participate in developing local planning policies within designated areas. Key aspects include:

• Resident Involvement: Residents can develop form-based design codes, utilize charrettes (collaborative planning workshops), and apply for funding (up to £100,000 per project) for these activities.
• Charrettes: The bill mandates charrettes under specific circumstances, such as developments requiring Environmental Impact Assessments or estate regeneration. These must be fair, transparent, and ensure equitable consensus building. Costs for charrettes related to estate regeneration will be covered by the relevant local authority or registered social landlord.
• Form-Based Design Codes: These codes will set rules for planning permissions, including land use and form, requiring charrette development and resident referendum approval.
• Support for Neighbourhood Forums: Local planning authorities are obligated to support neighbourhood forums and community groups, potentially receiving a 5% rolling grant from local planning funds if sufficient evidence of this support isn't provided.
• Funding: A £2 million fund is established to support resident initiatives, with grants available through a rolling application system.

Government Spending

The bill allocates £2 million to fund resident-led pilot schemes for local planning initiatives.

Groups Affected

• Residents: Given greater influence over local planning decisions through participation in pilot schemes and charrettes.
• Local Planning Authorities: Responsible for supporting neighbourhood forums, potentially losing 5% of their planning budget if they fail to provide sufficient support, and required to implement charrettes under certain conditions.
• Developers: Required to comply with any form-based design codes developed through the pilot schemes.
• Neighbourhood Forums and Community Groups: Receive support and potential funding to participate in local planning processes.
• Registered Social Landlords: Responsible for covering costs of charrettes in estate regeneration programs.

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