Neighbourhood plans, when brought into force, become part of the statutory development plan for the area that they cover.
They can be developed before, after or in parallel with a Local Plan, but the law requires that they must be in general conformity with the strategic policies in the adopted Local Plan for the area (and any other strategic policies that form part of the statutory development plan where relevant, such as the London Plan). Neighbourhood plans are not tested against the policies in an emerging Local Plan although the reasoning and evidence informing the Local Plan process may be relevant to the consideration of the basic conditions against which a neighbourhood plan is tested. There are requirements for a local planning authority to support neighbourhood planning.
Where a neighbourhood plan is brought forward before an up-to-date Local Plan is in place the Local Planning Authority should take a proactive and positive approach, working collaboratively with a qualifying body. This could include sharing evidence and seeking to resolve any issues to ensure the draft Neighbourhood plan has the greatest chance of success at independent examination.
Where a neighbourhood plan has been brought into force, the Local Planning Authority should take it into account when preparing the Local Plan strategy and policies, and avoid duplicating the policies that are in the neighbourhood plan.
