Help for Neighbourhood Plans

The policies and guidance within Thame’s Neighbourhood Plans have and will continue to steer development towards being in line with the community’s vision and objectives.
 
The preparation of Thame’s neighbourhood plans was greatly helped by both financial and technical support provided by the Government. The support enabled the hiring of experts to help write the current plan’s Masterplan report for selected development sites and its Design Code, which covers wider developments.  Thame’s Design Code has been recognised as an example of best practice, and is already making sure that household extensions, conversions and new buildings in Thame better reflect the unique character of their local area.
 
The Government has recently announced it is ending both technical and financial support for new neighbourhood plan groups and will end all support in 2026.  This will severely limit the ability of new groups to get started.  The decision will particularly affect small villages and deprived communities across the whole of England, many of whom were just becoming aware of the benefits of neighbourhood plans and the support that was available to help them write one.
 
A petition has recently been started by an acknowledged expert in community development, James Derounian, requesting that the Government reverse this decision.  James has generously provided both help and guidance to Thame in the past.

Should you wish to support the petition, you can sign it by following this link.