New Planning Services on Offer and ONH Advice on Budgeting for Planning
- Louise Stubbs
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
The truth is that many areas across England are currently vulnerable to speculative development. If your Local Plan is behind schedule and the 5 year housing land supply for your area is low, the chances are high that developers will be assessing your area and considering whether to put in a speculative application. For those previously in the green belt - which restricted most development from coming forward, the situation has radically changed with the introduction of grey belt, with the chances of applications being approved now higher than ever before. Alongside this, changes to planning appeals expected to be brought in before the end of 2025 mean there is increased pressure on parishes to get their planning response right first time, and have evidence on side to back up any objections or requested modifications.
The traditional answer has often been a neighbourhood plan, but with the loss of the Neighbourhood Planning support program your council or forum may be concerned about how to fund a neighbourhood plan project or review, or whether to look at alternative options.
New Planning Services
To help you guide your decision, we have updated and expanded the services page on our website to reflect our new and expanded range of products, with clear descriptions of different options to suit your council's circumstances and project aims. Our team are always happy to speak to you about your project and help you match your project aims to the most appropriate planning approach, please contact us to find out more.
Our full range currently includes:
Neighbourhood Plans NEW project options including Scoping & Review, Basic, Advanced, Premium and Digital
Greybelt Studies NEW
Still uncertain about funding?
Budgeting for Planning
The good news for town and parish councils is that there are several options for them to budget for future planning projects, from their own income streams, precept and CIL (where applicable). In some development projects, it might be appropriate for a council to pair with a developer, with the developer covering costs. In the past we have also seen Local Planning Authorities offer grants to Neighbourhood Planning groups.
Our strong recommendation is that all town and parish councils discuss planning this autumn as they prepare their budget for 2026/2027. Whether this is for a planned project, or as a reserve to cover consultancy fees if an unexpected or complex planning application arrives at your doorstep, being prepared will save stress and uncertainty and lead to better outcomes further down the line.
Not seeing the product you had in mind? We haven't listed every single service we offer, and new services will be on offer this autumn. Please contact us if you have any questions.
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