Toolkit designed to help parishes and passionate neighbours shape their areas

An easy-to-use toolkit designed to help parish councils, community groups or passionate neighbours create a neighbourhood plan has been published by Canterbury City Council.

Neighbourhood plans are led by a community and set out planning policies for the use and development of land in a specific area.

Once adopted, they form part of the Development Plan and decide where new homes, shops, offices and community buildings can be built.

They also influence what new buildings look like and what infrastructure is needed.

Bridge Parish Council adopted its neighbourhood plan in 2024. Its chairman, Cllr Alan Atkinson, says there are lots of benefits to a neighbourhood plan which make the process you have to go through worthwhile.

He said:”It’s certainly hard work to see to completion, but all concerned know that an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, which then becomes the plan of any higher local authority, will have been minutely examined by the planning experts; a Plan which has also demonstrated, via a referendum, that it has the support of the local residents.

“This testing then gives all concerned, at every level of local government, the complete confidence to prioritise and fully support a Neighbourhood Plan, and thereby the local residents, with whatever resources might be made available.”

Adisham, Chartham, Chestfield, Chislet, Fordwich, Hoath and Thanington are all at various stages of developing their own neighbourhood plans.

The city council’s neighbourhood planning toolkit gives simple advice on understanding what a neighbourhood plan can achieve and whether it is the right tool at the right time, how to engage with the community, creating an evidence base and writing the plan.

It also outlines the formal process that needs to be undertaken and how the council can support groups through the process.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Alan Baldock, said: “There is no doubt that sometimes the planning and Local Plan processes can make people feel this stuff is being done to them rather than bringing them on the journey.

“Neighbourhood plans are an opportunity for communities to shape development in their area using their knowledge of what everyone locally needs.

“It also allows communities to access sources of money like the Community Infrastructure Levy.”

Published: 21 September 2026