The Government’s Localism Act offers new rights and powers for communities. This includes Neighbourhood Planning where a community can come together and produce a plan to shape how their local area should develop and grow. For example, your local community have the opportunity to:

• say where you think new houses, businesses and shops should be built
• have a say on what buildings should look like
• grant planning permission for new development that you want to see go ahead

Four neighbourhood areas have been designated in Sheffield at Stocksbridge, Dore, and BBEST (Broomhill, Broomfield, Endcliffe, Summerfield and Tapton) and Kelham Island and Neepsend. 

To be involved in the content and consultation, please contact the individual groups. The map illustrates designated and proposed (none currently proposed) neighbourhood areas in Sheffield.

Neighbourhood Planning cannot be used to block the building of the homes and businesses considered to be necessary to meet the city’s current and future needs. However, you can use it to influence the type, design, location and mix of new development. Neighbourhood Planning can involve producing any of the following:

• Neighbourhood Development Plan - a plan will establish the vision and planning policies for the use and development of land in your neighbourhood. Once adopted it would be used alongside the National Planning Policy Framework and the Sheffield Plan when deciding planning applications
• Neighbourhood Development Order - allows the community to grant planning permission for certain types of new developments within a neighbourhood area
• Community Right to Build Order - gives communities the power to develop local, often small scale, developments where they want them

These are all subject to an independent examination and a local referendum before they can be adopted. 

Neighbourhood Planning is led by the local community. A Neighbourhood Development Plan and/or Neighbourhood Development Order can be prepared by:

• Stocksbridge Town Council
• Ecclesfield Parish Council
• Bradfield Parish Council

Where there is no Parish or Town Council, a Neighbourhood Forum can lead on coordinating neighbourhood planning in your area. This could be an existing community organisation or a new group, but to be established it would need to meet certain criteria; and the Neighbourhood Forum and neighbourhood area boundary will need to be approved by us.

A Community Right to Build Order is a special type of Neighbourhood Development Order and can be created by any local community organisation provided they meet certain criteria. If you are thinking of neighbourhood planning for your community please contact us before submitting any application.