Webb Developments has been involved in numerous developments involving Neighbourhood Plans. The aim of Neighbourhood Plans is to enable communities within villages or towns to plan and allocate sites in specific areas so development can be controlled in settlements. In addition, Neighbourhood Plans aim to reduce speculative applications based on a 5 year housing land supply argument from being granted in areas of the settlement that the local community did not want to see developed. Webb Developments is increasingly coming across Neighbourhood Plans that are being progressed to not allocate development land but to restrict development from happening at all.
Webb Developments has seen some emerging Neighbourhood Plans limiting development to only infill schemes of one or two plots and one village we have been involved with limited development to only two houses. Do you really need a Neighbourhood Plan to in effect not plan development? Villages which have been supportive of some development, have worked on a Neighbourhood Plan, allocated sites and provided some development. These communities have seen direct benefits from development. Webb Developments have seen that such villages can really benefit from some slightly larger schemes providing funding for the local school, recreation facilities or community buildings and even providing some land for allotments. Such settlements become more sustainable with new residents coming into the village or town supporting existing services. Villages which restrict development to infill schemes only end up being dormitory settlements with an aging population, closing pubs, closing schools and increasing house prices. The answer to this question is that some villages embrace Neighbourhood Plans and actually allocate land for development. However, in Webb Developments experience, most villages undertaking Neighbourhood Plans are actually creating plans to prevent development. The key to neighbourhood plans is to engage with the Parish Council and the Steering Group.
If you have land you are seeking to promote through a Neighbourhood Plan please contact Webb Developments who would be happy to help you.