Neighbourhood planning

You can influence the future of your neighbourhood with a neighbourhood plan. This lets you set a vision for your local area and general planning policies to help guide developments in Redbridge.

Neighbourhood planning came into force in 2012 through the Localism Act. It lets local residents and businesses have their own planning policies that: 

• reflect their priorities
• deliver local benefits 
• can influence planning decisions

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

A neighbourhood plan is:

• a document that sets out planning policies for the neighbourhood area (planning policies are used to decide whether to approve planning applications)
• written by the local community
• a way to help communities ensure they get the right types of development, in the right place

Neighbourhood plans can:

• identify a vision for the area and set objectives for the next 5 to 20 years
• provide detailed planning policies setting out where new development should be located and how it should be designed
• allocate sites for different types of development such as housing, retail and office space
• designate areas of community greenspace
• identify key areas for improvement and set out proposals for them

Neighbourhood Plans are subject to consultation, examination and a referendum (vote). Once adopted they form part of the statutory development plan, alongside the Redbridge Local Plan (2018), and London Plan.

A Neighbourhood Plan must consider national planning policy, and be in general agreement with policies in the Redbridge Local Plan. It must also:

• contribute to the achievement of sustainable development
• be compatible with environmental obligations, as incorporated in UK law
• be compatible with human rights requirements

Support to make a neighbourhood plan

The organisation Locality has information on their ‘Neighbourhood Planning' website. You can apply directly for support and funding through the "Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme". This includes support from other neighbourhood planning groups, and information about grant funding for consultants (to help with evidence around technical issues).

Locality is funded from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Neighbourhood Planning and Community Right to Build support programme. They work in partnership with: 

• Planning and Environment Consultancy AECOM
• RICS
• Design Council
• RTPI and others

NeighbourhoodPlanners.London is a London-wide network of Neighbourhood Forums and prospective forums, and offers resources and networking for groups specifically focused on the challenges of neighbourhood planning in London.

Current neighbourhood planning designations

A neighbourhood area and forum is an organisation or group that lead the neighbourhood planning process in a neighbourhood.

Redbridge has one designated Neighbourhood Area and Forum.

Designations last for 5 years, but a forum or area may be re-designated upon application.

South Woodford

The South Woodford Neighbourhood Forum and Area was officially designated a forum and area in 2020. South Woodford Neighbourhood Forum can now develop a neighbourhood plan and neighbourhood orders for South Woodford, with local community involvement.

The Forum is part of the South Woodford Society, who can be contacted at e18society@gmail.com for more information.
You can read the South Woodford Neighbourhood Forum’s constitution and Area boundary.

• Neighbourhood Area (PDF 7MB)
• Neighbourhood Forum Constitution (PDF 113KB)

South Woodford Neighbourhood Forum have also produced a vision and a set of aims for their neighbourhood plan

South Woodford Forum commissioned a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Opinion to assess the environmental impact of the vision and aims for their neighbourhood plan. The screening opinion concluded that the South Woodford Neighbourhood Plan would not require a full SEA or Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA). Redbridge Council consulted with statutory consultees including the Environment Agency, Historic England and Natural England on the content of the screening opinion and produced an Screening Opinion Report on the responses received. All the statutory consultees agreed that the South Woodford Neighbourhood Plan is not likely to have a significant environmental impact on the area and would not require a full SEA or HRA. The report produced by the council agreed.

Read the SEA screening opinion and the council's report:

• SEA Screening Opinion (PDF 894KB)
• SEA Screening Opinion Report (PDF 4MB)

Find out more

Neighbourhood Planning Frequently Asked questions (PDF 62KB) can help explain how the process works and what can be achieved.

If you have any further questions on neighbourhood planning or are thinking of preparing a neighbourhood plan for your area, please get in touch with us at dpd@redbridge.gov.uk