Power to the people?

Four areas in Cornwall are among the latest to have been selected to test a new Government neighbourhood planning scheme.

The initiative, which forms part of the Localism Bill, is aimed to give local communities more influence in deciding how development will look in their area, from locations of shops, offices and schools, to setting standards of design for new housing.

In areas where local people want to see homes and businesses built, neighbourhood planning will allow communities to grant a blanket planning permission for development to go ahead without developers having to make separate applications.

The community has the final say on whether a neighbourhood plan comes into force. If more than 50% of people voting in a local referendum support the plan, then the local planning authority must bring it into force.

Among the 36 new areas announced today by the Department for Communities and Local Government are Rame Peninsula, St Erth, St Eval and Truro

Planning minister Greg Clark said: “For too long local people have been shut out of the planning process with no real voice to affect decisions about the places where they live.

“Unpopular regional strategies left people without the ability to influence the future of their community and this fuelled resentment towards growth. Neighbourhood planning will hand power back to communities to decide the vision for their area as they see fit, encouraging people to plan positively for their future.”