Process for producing a neighbourhood plan

There are seven key stages in producing a neighbourhood plan:

1. Designating a neighbourhood area and a neighbourhood forum:
   This is the first formal step in neighbourhood planning process. Where there are no parish or town councils, as is the case in Salford, a neighbourhood forum must be formed to lead and co-ordinate the production of a neighbourhood plan and this should be submitted to Salford City Council for designation. Both the neighbourhood area and the forum need to meet certain legal requirements and have to be formally designated for this purpose by the council. Details of the information that is required to be submitted to the council alongside a neighbourhood forum or neighbourhood area application is available to download from this page.
2. Preparing a neighbourhood plan or order:
   The neighbourhood forum will need to pull together its evidence base, identify the aims of the neighbourhood plan and carry out initial community engagement. 
3. Pre-submission consultation on a neighbourhood plan or order:
   Once a draft neighbourhood plan is produced, this should be consulted on for a six week period.
4. Submission of a neighbourhood plan or order to the local planning authority:
   The neighbourhood plan should be submitted to Salford City Council, who will publicise it and make it available for inspection for a six week period.
5. Independent examination of a neighbourhood plan or order:
   The council will then appoint an independent examiner to check the plan meets the right basic standards. The examiner may recommend that the plan proceeds to referendum, suggest modifications are needed before the plan can proceed to referendum or recommend that the plan does not proceed to referendum.
6. Referendum(s) on whether a neighbourhood plan or order should come into legal force:
   Salford City Council will organise a referendum on any plan that meets the basic standards. People living in the neighbourhood area who are registered to vote in local elections will be entitled to vote, and if more than 50% of people voting in the referendum support the plan, then the city council must bring it into force.
7. Making of the neighbourhood plan or order (bringing it into legal force):
   Once the plan is brought into force, it forms part of the statutory development plan for the area and should be given weight in making decisions on planning applications.

More information about the process for producing a neighbourhood plan is available below and in the downloads section:

• The Planning Practice Guidance
• The Neighbourhood Planning Support website 

The legal requirements for producing a neighbourhood plan are set out in:

• The Localism Act 2011 (schedules 9, 10 and 12)
• The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012
• The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012
• The Neighbourhood Planning (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2015

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This page was last updated on 22 March 2018