Major new funding package for Planning Aid

A major expansion of Planning Aid has been announced, 'to ensure that people have the advice, skills and professional support they need to have a proper voice in the planning process'. The organisation gives the public professional planning advice. It will get £4.1 million in 2009/10 and £4.5 million in 2010/11.

Planning Aid was started by the Town and Country Planning Association in 1973, and is working to further widen engagement in the planning process and to give an equal voice to all those involved in planning.

Planning Aid works with community groups to develop their understanding of the planning system so that they can communicate their views more effectively. And it helps individuals who are unable to afford a planning consultant and who, without assistance, would be excluded from the planning process.

Following the doubling of Planning Aid funding from £1.7m in 2007/08 to £3.2m this year the new announcement today will increase this further to £4.1m in 2009/10 and £4.5m in 2010/11. That means the number of people directly helped will rise from around 25,000 this year to even more in future.

Hazel Blears said: 'The Planning Reform Bill currently going through Parliament will give people a fairer say through public consultation, and at planning inquiries. But creating opportunities for public participation is not enough by itself.

'We need also to do more to support local communities and individuals, particularly those least able to put forward their case, with the advice and skills they need to engage effectively, which is where this new funding will provide direct help.'

Planning Aid is already helping people to influence the planning system for example a group of traders in East London wanted to fight an application to replace their market with a superstore. After a training workshop, the traders were able to present a viable alternative to the plans which is now being developed.

Free advice is available to all callers and more detailed help to eligible individuals and groups. It specifically helps those on benefits, pensioners, or people whose household income is low, and also provides planning advice to small charities, voluntary and community groups, tenants' organisations, social enterprises and other not-for-profit businesses.

The full range of planning issues are covered ranging from planning applications, through local authority planning policies, to regional spatial strategies and national consultations.