Communities invited to apply for new neighbourhood planning grants

Harborough District Council has launched the scheme to help communities prepare new neighbourhood plans and review existing plans, ensuring local people continue to play an important role in shaping future development in their area.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for eligible neighbourhood planning projects. Funding can be used to support a range of activities, including community engagement, technical studies, planning consultancy support, public consultations and other work required to prepare a neighbourhood plan.

Neighbourhood plans enable communities to influence how their area develops, helping to shape future growth while reflecting local priorities and ambitions. Once adopted, neighbourhood plans form part of the statutory development plan and are used in the determination of planning applications.

Cllr Rosita Page, Cabinet Lead for Planning, said: “Neighbourhood plans give local communities a real opportunity to influence how their area develops and to help shape a vision for the future that reflects local needs and priorities.

“We know neighbourhood planning requires significant time, effort and resources, and this new fund demonstrates the council's commitment to supporting communities through that process. By providing financial assistance for neighbourhood planning projects, we hope to enable more communities across the district to take an active role in shaping the places where they live and work.”

The fund has been introduced following the withdrawal of national neighbourhood planning grant funding in 2025, ensuring communities across Harborough district continue to have access to financial support to progress neighbourhood planning projects.

Applications are now open and will be assessed against the scheme's eligibility criteria. The council aims to determine applications within 21 working days of the relevant Expression of Interest window closing.

Guidance on the grant scheme, eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, including the Neighbourhood Planning Grant Expression of Interest form, are available at: www.harborough.gov.uk/neighbourhood_planning_grant_expression_of_interest_form

For further information about the fund, eligibility criteria and neighbourhood planning, email neighbourhoodplans@harborough.gov.uk or visit the council's Neighbourhood Planning webpages at: www.harborough.gov.uk/neighbourhood-planning