Help for your Community Right to Build Project

Community Right to Build for Affordable Housing?

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has launched the Government’s Community Right to Build initiative.

Community Right to Build puts the power to grant planning permission firmly in the hands of communities.

Under Community Right to Build, communities will be able to approve new local developments by preparing a Community Right to Build Order. Once prepared such an Order would automatically grant planning permission for a certain type of development:

family houses to sell or rent
community halls
homes designed specifically to meet the needs of older people
children playgrounds; and
shops and business facilities

A Community Right to Build Order would have to meet certain criteria, for example be in a designated neighbourhood planning area, and have the backing of more than 50 per cent of voters in a local referendum.

To support communities in the preparation of Community Right to Build proposals Government have identified £17 million of funding and an advice service run by Locality.

The fund will be run by the Homes and Communities Agency – full guidance on how to apply can be found here.

Is your community considering Community Right to Build?
Do you need help to be designated as a neighbourhood planning area, or help in applying to the Homes and Communities Agency?
Do you need help preparing your Community Right to Build proposal?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions Kirkwells can help you. Just give us a call on 01282 972570, or email michaelwellock@kirkwells.co.uk and we will be happy to have an informal chat about your community’s proposal.

©Kirkwells Town Planners and Sustainable Development Consultants based at the Lancashire Digital Technology Centre in Burnley www.kirkwells.co.uk

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