New book: THE POWER OF NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

I don’t carry advertising in this blog, but I am very pleased to give some free publicity to a book by Peter Edwards, which my publishers BATH PUBLISHING will be bringing out in April.

Neighbourhood planning, introduced by the Localism Act 2011, is now well established as the new 'first tier' of our planning system. The key to this brave new world of localism is the Neighbourhood Development Plan, which enables local communities to make planning policies for their area that have statutory effect and which must be taken into account by decision makers.

This new book has been written in order to answer the key questions faced by neighbourhood planners with a clear, pragmatic focus and in sufficient depth to arm both lay readers and planning professionals with the knowledge they need to operate effectively within this novel planning regime. Along the way, some of the less well-known planning rules and procedures that can be invoked by neighbourhood planning groups and others at a local level are also explained. The author also explores the place of neighbourhood planning within the wider planning system and offers a fascinating assessment of the potential of neighbourhood planning to address a whole range of important environmental issues.

The author, Peter Edwards, is a dual qualified lawyer and runs Planning Progress Limited, a planning and public affairs consultancy that advises a variety of clients from all sectors throughout the UK, on planning and the interaction between planning and the environment. He advises a number of parish councils on all aspects of neighbourhood planning.

This is the fifth book in Bath Publishing’s growing planning law list. Each of these titles is focused on giving sound practical advice on the areas it covers. These books differ in this respect from more general planning law books; the insight and expertise that their authors bring to their subject matter makes all five books an essential resource for planning professionals and for developers and others when dealing with the topics that they cover. The Power of Neighbourhood Planning will be a valuable addition to this growing library of essential practical guides, and an incisive introduction to this often controversial topic, providing sound practical guidance to all those working on a neighbourhood plan.

The price of the book will be £30, and if ordered before 31 March it comes with a free copy of digital edition as well. There are several other tempting offers on the Bath Publishing website - bathpublishing.com (or contact Bath Publishing Limited at 27 Charmouth Road, Bath BA1 3LJ. [01225 577810] .)

MARTIN H GOODALL