Troy Planning + Design

Victoria Neighbourhood Plan has passed referendum 💚

Residents and business ratepayers voted “Yes” to make the Plan — a major milestone for the Victoria Neighbourhood Forum and the community.

Once formally adopted by Westminster City Council, it will form part of the statutory development plan, shaping decisions and guiding investment in this unique part of central London.

Troy Planning + Design is proud to have supported the Forum through every stage from early engagement to drafting, examination and referendum.

Community Engagement for Town Centres, Neighbourhood Plans and Design Codes
Troy Planning + Design has kicked off 2025 engaging with local communities across England with a number of successful open days consulting on emerging ideas for improving the vitality and accessibility of town centres, enabling sustainable travel modes, designating local green spaces, preparing design codes, enable urban housing delivery, designating key views, protecting local heritage and many other ideas!

These include:
Rushden, Northamptonshire where we have prepared a draft Town Centre Design Code aimed at better accessibility, public realm improvements, bringing green infrastructure into the town, diversifying uses and we are updating the Neighbourhood Plan.

Amesbury, Wiltshire which is the oldest continuous living settlement in England (dating back over 8500 years BC) - we have developed ideas for improving the historic character of the town centre with mobility experts Goudappel, improving connectivity to Stonehenge and enhancing the tourism economy for the town. This is Amesbury’s first Neighbourhood Plan.

Hailsham, East Sussex where the review of the Neighbourhood Plan and a new Design Code for the town has been supported by several public drop-in events held alongside sessions with the Chambers of Commerce, the ‘Young at Heart’ club, the Natural and Historical Society and Year 11 Geography pupils at the College. The made Neighbourhood Plan is based around the concept of Hailsham being a ‘ten-minute town’. People were asked to comment on the relevance of this going forward with the overwhelmingly majority signalling their support for the concept.

REVIEW OF THAME NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN SUCCESSFUL AT REFERENDUM

Excellent news from Thame (Oxfordshire) where the review of the Neighbourhood Plan (‘TNP2’) has been successful at referendum with a 90% ‘yes’ vote in favour of making the Plan.

TNP2 represents a major overhaul of the first Neighbourhood Plan – one of the first neighbourhood plans following the Localism Act. TNP2 brings all policies up-to-date and in line with the NPPF and Local Plan, and introduces new policies that address changing agendas such as climate change, social inclusion and healthy lifestyles.

TNP2 allocates six sites for development, supporting new housing and employment growth, as well as mixed use development in the Town Centre. It is underpinned by an extensive site assessment and selection process, community engagement, characterisation and masterplanning of development opportunities.

Alongside policies TNP2 introduces a set of wider aspirations and projects for infrastructure investment and which include ideas such as creating a network of community mobility hubs and delivering a street greening programme.

TNP2 covers the period to 2041.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING GRANTS AND SUPPORT PROGRAMME CONFIRMED BY DLUHC FOR 2024/2025

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has confirmed that support for groups preparing neighbourhood plans will continue during 2024/2025. It is anticipated that the application window will open this month.

Troy Planning + Design has many years of successful experience helping groups prepare their applications.If you are a neighbourhood group that requires support preparing an application for grant funding and consultancy support preparing a neighbourhood plan please feel free to get in touch with us:
[email protected]

All groups undertaking a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order are eligible to apply for the Basic Grant up to £10,000. Groups meeting additional eligibility criteria are able to apply for an Additional Grant of up to £8,000. This will take the total amount of grant available to you to £18,000.