A GRANT scheme to encourage neighbourhood planning has opened for applications.

Around 1,200 communities across the country have already embarked upon neighbourhood planning since they were introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

In England, neighbourhood plan aim to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area, including the location of new homes, shops and offices.

To help mobilise even more communities the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has made available £100,000 to help groups organise local workshops.

It is hoped that 40-60 local workshops will be funded.

The aim is to give communities who are new to the idea the information and encouragement needed to embark on a neighbourhood plan.

Eligible workshops should be held in an area in which take up of neighbourhood planning has been low – or at a location accessible to communities in such areas.

These could be in a local planning authority area where the number of designated neighbourhood areas is five or less.

Alternatively, they could be in areas where the number of parish or town councils designated in whole or in part as neighbourhood areas is 15% or less of all local parish and town councils.

Although the grants are not large, they would cover venue and promotional costs plus expenses for any invited speakers. Events have to take place by March 2015.

For details, visit http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/neighbourhood-planning/grants/