For the past 10 years, the government provided funding through Locality to enable Town and Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums develop Neighbourhood Plans. The funding has typically been used to pay for the professional and technical expertise required to take account of the enormous volume of planning and design rules and regulations which are required to prepare a sound neighbourhood plan that will stand up to expert scrutiny and examination.
The government now plans to withdraw this funding.
A petition is being circulated by 38 Degrees calling on the government not to withdraw the funding which enables communities like East Boldon to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan.
East Boldon Neighbourhood Forum obtained funding from Locality to employ a planning consultant with wide experience of Neighbourhood planning, and an international planning and design consultancy AECOM to prepare a design guide. Without that funding the East Boldon Neighbourhood Plan wouldn’t exist. Since our Plan was approved in January 2022, it has been instrumental in helping to limit the development of new housing on green belt sites in the village as well as having a significant impact in improving the layout and design of the proposed new housing at Cleadon Lane.
You can read more about Neighbourhood Plan funding and its withdrawal here: https://neighbourhoodplanning.org/
Full details of the petition and the likely impact are set out here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/continuing-support-funding-for-community-led-neighbourhood-plans?timeline_posts_page=4
The current East Boldon Neighbourhood Plan will need updating should the Council’s Local Plan be adopted. Without further funding for technical and professional support it won’t be possible for us to prepare a new plan. The Forum Executive strongly urge you to sign the petition so that East Boldon residents will have a continuing say in future development in the village.
If you live or work in the East Boldon Forum area then you are welcome to join the Forum. Please get in touch with us.
If you wish to contact us for any reason please leave your details on the Contact Us page.