Plans are about guiding development and not stopping it. Producing a Neighbourhood Plan will give your community more control over planning in your area when adopted. It will have equal weight to the Local Plan when planning decisions are made.
It can be used to:
Neighbourhood Plans are led by authorised local community organisations, parish councils or neighbourhood forums, rather than the local planning authority.
The foundation of a good Neighbourhood Plan will be a robust programme of community engagement, supported by a strong evidence base. These make sure that the plan is based on a proper understanding of the area and the views, aspirations and needs of the local people.
Once the Neighbourhood Plan has been completed by the local community, it will be submitted to Carlisle City Council, as the local planning authority, and then be subject to an independent examination. This will make sure that the proper legal process has been followed and it is in general conformity with Carlisle district’s Local Plan.
Once the plans have passed examination, it is necessary to gain a more than 50% ‘yes’ vote of those voting in a public referendum in order to bring them into force.
For parish council or prospective neighbourhood forum, work on a Neighbourhood Plan can only commence formally when the neighbourhood area has been designated by the Carlisle City Council.
A number of application forms and checklists are being produced to assist parishes submit the correct documents and details during the various stages of producing a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Neighbourhood Development Order or Community Right to Build Order.
In areas and neighbourhoods that are not covered by a parish council, members of the community who wish to write a Neighbourhood Plan will need to apply to set up a Neighbourhood Forum. An application form is available to download below. Applications to set up a forum can be submitted at the same time as applications to designate a neighbourhood plan area, but they must be treated as two separate processes. Neighbourhood Forums must be made up of people, or businesses, who live, work or are based in the neighbourhood area, and ideally should include the elected ward member for the area too. A Forum must be able to demonstrate that it will made up of at least 21 members. Applications to create a forum should be returned either by email to [email protected] or in post to Planning Policy, Cumberland Council, Civic Centre 6th Floor, Carlisle, CA3 8QG.
Carlisle City Council must publicise any valid application for the designation of a neighbourhood area on this web site. All current and determined applications can be viewed through the relevant link below.
Other publicity must take place to bring the application to the attention of people who live, work or carry on business in the proposed neighbourhood area. This publicity must allow at least a six week period for comments to be made.
All comments will be treated equally, although it will be up to the City Council to balance any conflicting opinions when considering the neighbourhood area application. A consultation report summarising the issues raised by consultation will be considered by the City Council when deciding upon the neighbourhood area application. A record of this decision will then be sent to the relevant Parish Council and placed on this website. If the decision is to refuse to designate the Plan Area, then the Council will also publish its reasons for making that decision.
Carlisle City Council has approved the designation of the parish of Dalston as a Neighbourhood Area, in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.