Planning Policy documents

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

Neighbourhood planning is an opportunity to influence how your area will develop and is about making sure a community gets the development it needs through the planning of infrastructure, homes, job opportunities, and leisure and community facilities, including schools, health services and shops. The Government's Planning Practice guidance provides more details on neighbourhood planning.

How will it work?

Before any work starts on your plan, you must first apply for your area to be formally designated. There are specific rules that your must follow in order to successfully get your neighbourhood designated.

There are three things you must do to support your application:

1. submit a map identifying the area;
2. submit a statement explaining what it is considered an appropriate neighbourhood area; and
3. submit a statement that the organisation making the application is a relevant body.

Any applications received for Neighbourhood Planning Forum designation will be published on this website. The council will then consider applications and comments and decide on the organisations that can be designated for each area. Once designated the Neighbourhood Planning Forums will be able to work towards the production of a Neighbourhood Development Plan for their area.

Please note: only one organisation can be designated for each Neighbourhood Planning Area, this organisation or body remains designated until such time as the designation expires or is withdrawn.

Further information can be found in the Government's National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance. 

What is the Council’s role?

The Council will support neighbourhoods in the preparation of their plans, but the level of resource available to support individual groups may depend on:

• How many groups seek support for formal processes;
• Where the Neighbourhood Planning Areas are located - priority may be given to supporting those areas with regeneration potential and areas where there is a high level of deprivation; and
• How much development potential is likely to come forward in the designated Neighbourhood Plan Area.

The Council will also make arrangements to make people aware of the right to make applications to be designated as a neighbourhood planning forum for a neighbourhood area.

Neighbourhood Areas and Neighbourhood Plans

Approved Neighbourhood Areas

• Willenhall Neighbourhood Area was designated by the Council on 17 October 2013. The Willenhall Community Forum was the relevant body that applied for the designation. View a map of the Willenhall neighbourhood area. The documents that related to the Willenhall Neighbourhood Area consultation includes a public notice, an area application and a map showing the extent of the proposed Willenhall Neighbourhood Area.
• Allesley Neighbourhood Area was designated by the Council on 4 May 2016, through a report to the Council's Planning Committee meeting. Allesley Parish Council was the relevant body that applied for the designation. View a map of Allesley Neighbourhood Area. The documents that related to the Allesley Neighbourhood Area consultation includes a public notice, an area application and a map showing the extent of the proposed Neighbourhood Area.
• Finham Neighbourhood Area was designated by the Council on 16 March 2017. Finham Parish Council was the relevant body that applied for the designation. View a map of the Finham neighbourhood area and associated Finham Neighbourhood Area application.

Approved Neighbourhood Plans

• Willenhall Neighbourhood Plan: On 18 June 2018, the Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities approved the Willenhall Neighbourhood Plan. Take a look at the decision statement.

Neighbourhood Plans - Examination and Referendum

There are currently no planned examinations or local referendums.