Step 6: Consult

Once you have drafted your Neighbourhood Plan (NP), it must undergo a statutory pre-submission consultation stage (also called Regulation 14 consultation).

This is when it goes out to the community for six weeks to get formal feedback.

You will have the full support of BCC’s Neighbourhood Development and Support Unit (NDSU). NDSU will ensure you publicise your draft NP in a way that brings it to the attention of people who live, work or do business in the area covered. This will include publishing it on the BCC website and arranging BCC social media posts so local residents can view and comment on it. NDSU can also support you with arranging consultation events and community drop-in sessions.

NDSU will discuss the timetable with you and keep you updated at every point. They can arrange catch-up sessions with your councillor(s) and help to keep the process running smoothly.

Read more about the NDSU’s support on the advice and guidance page.

Have a look at ideas for networking across Birmingham.

Share your success - and your frustrations

This Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit has been co-produced by Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Community Matters and Locality, known collectively here as Local Visions. We’d love to hear about your Neighbourhood Planning achievements - and your challenges. You can inspire more community organisations to consider Neighbourhood Planning in their areas of Birmingham. You can also use your experience to help other Neighbourhood Planning Forums to overcome the difficulties they may encounter along the way. Contact us to share your thoughts.