At the Neighbourhood Plan Meeting, Sudbury, March 2025.
Government support for neighbourhood plans must continue, or else communities will be ‘deprived of the chance to influence’ development in their area, according to a Suffolk MP.
Neighbourhood Planning Support is no longer accepting applications for new grants or technical support, after reporting the Government had withdrawn funding for its service.
A notice, published on Friday, stated the Ministry of Housing cannot proceed with commissioning new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards, as a result of a spending review.
A statement on the Neighbourhood Planning website said: “Neighbourhood planning is an undeniable success. We are proud to have supported so many groups through the process.
“We know it will be difficult for some groups to progress their plans in the light of this news.”
A neighbourhood plan is a document that outlines what kind of housing and infrastructure a community wants, and where in their town or village they think it should be built.
If formally approved by a public referendum, they become part of the statutory development plan for that local area, and must be considered when deciding planning applications.
On Monday, South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge wrote directly to the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, calling for urgent clarity on what this latest announcement means for communities.
Mr Cartlidge – who has hosted numerous meetings to encourage communities to adopt neighbourhood plans – voiced his frustration at the prospect of support being withdrawn.
He highlighted the uptake in Babergh over recent years, with 24 neighbourhood plans now adopted and a further 16 currently in progress.
“The Government’s decision to take this vital funding away from our communities removes their ability to have a say about where development goes in their area,” said Mr Cartlidge.
“At a time when statutory planning targets in Babergh have increased by over 80 per cent, my communities are now being deprived of the chance to influence the future of the areas in which they live.
“The withdrawal of funding not only threatens the progress of the plans, but also sends a distinct message to communities about the value of their input in the planning process.
“It is crucial that the Government continues to support neighbourhood planning, both financially and through policy, to ensure that local voices remain central in shaping the future of our communities.”
Published in the Suffolk Free Press.
