What is Planning Aid?
Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional town planning advice and support to communities and individuals who cannot afford to pay planning consultant fees. It complements the work of local planning authorities, but is wholly independent of them.
Planning Aid was started by the Town and Country Planning Association in 1973 and has consistently proved its worth. From the beginning, it has been at the forefront of engaging communities in the planning process. Now Planning Aid is working to further widen engagement in the planning process and to give an equal voice to all those involved in planning.
In 2005 the Officer of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) confirmed funding until 2008. The funding and support will help to build a bigger and better Planning Aid network.
Planning Aid is about much more than giving advice. It engages communities positively in the planning process to help them manage changes to their neighbourhood areas.
Planning Aid can help people to:
Understand and use the planning system
Participate in preparing plans
Prepare their own plans for the future of their community
Comment on planning applications
Apply for planning permission or appeal against refusal of permission
Represent themselves at public inquiries.
Planning Aid helps to meet one of the key aims of the government's planning reform agenda, which is to place community engagement at the heart of the planning system.
Planning Aid
Essex County Council Park and Ride Colchester