Parish plans give you an opportunity to get involved in planning in your town or village and surrounding countryside. A parish plan is a document that tackles important issues that will influence your neighbourhood in the future. This could be anything from ensuring building projects fit in with local character to supporting alternatives to private car use to improving the state of local parks.

The development of the plan will be led by the town or parish council but must take into account the views of the whole community. Everyone should have a chance to contribute. The final plan will identify key facilities and services, set out the problems that need to be tackled and show how distinctive character and features can be conserved. It will also include an action plan for the area.

Why parish plans are important
Parish plans can be used to make sure local concerns and characteristics are taken into account before any planning decisions are made. They can also influence the way local services are delivered. Parish plans are an important tool that can be fed into other plans and strategies such as local development frameworks, where the needs of individual towns and villages and their surrounding countryside might not normally be adequately considered.

Further information is available from the Countryside Agency  - PARISH PLANS