Neighbourhood planning

What is neighbourhood planning?

Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to help decide the future of the places where they live and work. Communities will be able to choose where they want new development to go, have their say on what those buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided.

The Localism Act (2011) introduced the right for communities to prepare neighbourhood plans and established the Borough Council's responsibilities in that process. The Neighbourhood Planning Act (2017) extended those responsibilities further. The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations set out the procedure to be followed in preparing a neighbourhood plan.

• Find out more about the Stages of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan

A parish council or similar organisation leads on producing a neighbourhood plan, rather than the Borough Council. However, once a neighbourhood plan has reached an advanced stage of preparation, the body preparing it submits it to the Borough Council.  The  Borough Council is then responsible for taking the NP forward to completion (called being 'made').

So far, we have received just one application for a neighbourhood plan, from Burscough Parish Council. The Plan covers the Burscough Parish area.

Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan

On 26 July 2019, the Council 'made' (~adopted) the Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan.  The Plan is now part of the development plan for West Lancashire and must be taken into consideration (alongside the West Lancashire Local Plan) when making decisions on planning applications in Burscough Parish.

Find out more about neighbourhood planning - see our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan

Due to its size this document has had to be split into parts.

• Download the Introduction and Context (PDF 3.7mb)
• Download the Issues and Considerations (PDF 7.1mb)
• Download the Visions, Objectives and Strategy (PDF 1.3mb)
• Download the Policies for Infrastructure, Housing, Employment Land and Retail (PDF 6.7mb)
• Download the Policies for Visitor Economy, Transport, Environment, Design, and Community (PDF 6.7mb)
• Download Plan Delivery and Implementation; and Plan Monitoring and Review (PDF 1.9mb)
• Download the Appendices (PDF 3.5mb)
• Download BPNP Key Diagram (PDF, 8.4mb)
• View the Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan Policies Map

Record of Decision

• Download the Record of Decision for making the Plan (PDF, 244kb)
  This shows West Lancashire Borough Council's decision to approve the Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan.

Producing the Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan has involved a number of preparation stages and a Burscough Referendum. Further information on the Referendum and the background to the Burscough Parish Neighbourhood Plan, can be found using the links below. 

• Find out more about the preparation stages and the Burscough Referendum
• View the supporting documents and evidence base

Further information

Further information on neighbourhood plans can be found by following the links below (all external links):

• Guidance on neighbourhood planning from Locality
• How to create a neighbourhood plan step by step guide by Locality 
• National Planning Practice Guidance on neighbourhood planning
• Planning Advisory Service advice on neighbourhood planning
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government notes on neighbourhood planning