Published May 9, 2018 at 9:32
Rossendale Council has approved the designation of Edenfield Community Neighbourhood Forum.
This means that the forum will be able to prepare a neighbourhood plan, a planning document created by local people to guide and shape the development and use of land in a set area.
Neighbourhood plans were introduced by the Localism Act which aims to give people and communities more say in decisions which affect them. They can be drawn up by parish or town councils, or a neighbourhood forum which has to apply for designation from the council as has happened in Edenfield
The Edenfield Neighbourhood Plan will have to align generally with the council’s wider local plan for the borough. If it passes independent checks to ensure that it meets basic standards, a community referendum will be held to decide whether it comes into force or not.
Once in force the plan would carry legal weight and decision makers would be obliged consider proposals for development in the Edenfield against the plan.
For more information on Edenfield Neighbourhood Forum visit edenfieldcommunityforum.uk