Funds will help Angmering lead community revolution

The parish council has been awarded £20,000 of government funding to help draw up a neighbourhood plan, and is one of the first places in the country to have started the process.

A similar amount has been awarded to a group of eight more parishes in Arun district – Littlehampton, Yapton, Barnham, Bognor, Aldingbourne, Pagham, Felpham and Eastergate to prepare their plans.

Funding for the pioneering parishes was confirmed by government planning minister Greg Clarke.

Neighbourhood planning is designed to allow local people and local businesses a greater say in the future of their community, from deciding the locations of shops, offices and schools to setting standards of design for new housing and protecting green spaces of value to the community.

Residents also have the final say on whether a neighbourhood plan comes into force.

If more than 50 per cent of people voting in a local referendum support the plan, then the local planning authority, in this case Arun District Council, must bring it into force.

Arun council leader Gillian Brown said: “I welcome the announcement that nine of our towns and parishes will pioneer these new powers.

“Arun is an extremely diverse place, and communities have different needs, aspirations and expectations.”