Neighbourhood planning funding sources*

*Information collected informally from conversations with neighbourhood planning groups

A question we often get asked is how much do neighbourhood plans cost, and where can groups get money from? There is no fixed format or template for a Neighbourhood Plan or Order.

Communities may wish to concentrate on a few policies only which have a major impact on their area. The cost of preparing a plan will therefore vary depending on the neighbourhood area itself and the complexity and scope of the proposed plan. It’s important for each community to consider

from the outset how they’ll meet the costs of producing a Neighbourhood Plan or Order, remembering that costs can be met in non monetary terms. Below are some helpful hints and tips that have been pulled together from information communities have shared with us, along with some

additional opportunities groups may wish to explore.

Additional opportunities

•Parish Councils can consider whether they may wish to raise the parish precept•Some local authorities such as Exeter and Bristol are looking into how the New Homes Bonus/local business rates might help support neighbourhood planning in more deprived areas.

Non-grant funding opportunities

•Local fundraising events•Donations from local business, retailers and landowners (Uppingham and Thame have both benefitted from donations)•We are seeing an increasing number of local authorities passing on some of the new burdens funding they receive to the community level, such as Wychavon District Council and Bassetlaw District Council http://bit.ly/1cBjmUP

Direct support •Tailored support packages from the neighbourhood planning support programme http://bit.ly/YQGy8V •Expertise from local business, retailers and landowners (Uppingham and Thame again both benefitted from local expertise)•Private sector consultants and developers undertaking pro-bono work (Milton Keynes, Eden and Exeter all benefitted from pro-bono support)•Local authorities offering significant officer time and resource to help groups produce a neighbourhood plan (Cornwall, Leeds, Trafford and Lockleaze have all benefitted from local authority support). •University students have been a source of help and assistance in particular areas. For example Birmingham University and University of West of England students have helped deprived communities in Birmingham and Bristol.

Grant programmes •Neighbourhood planning support programme – grants of up to £7000 http://bit.ly/YQGy8V •The Heritage Lottery's Sharing Heritage programme awards grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 http://bit.ly/1cB1ucW •The Big Lottery Fund's 'Awards for All' awards grants of between £300 and £10,000 http://bit.ly/10tjXTq •The 'Community First' Programme http://bit.ly/AhqTFE •Local initiatives such as:

–Quartet Community Foundation (West) http://bit.ly/eef9Ji–Leeds Community Foundation http://bit.ly/1a4dDFk–Tenants of Liverpool Mutual Homes http://bit.ly/13zRPdr–Telegraph & Argus grants in Bradford http://bit.ly/1c2ETpb–Broadland District Council http://bit.ly/1cBiYpz–Leicestershire County Council http://bit.ly/15DJrcn

Do you know more? Why not tell people on twitter using #neighbourhood planning, start a discussion on the neighbourhood planning LinkedIn group, or send us details to include in our notes on neighbourhood planning newsletter.