<p><span>The government is to “almost double” its funding to neighbourhood planning groups in urban and deprived areas, it announced today (August 10). </span><span></span></p> <p><span>From today, government grants to these individual neighbourhood planning groups planning their local areas will increase to </span><span>£18,000, following an increase from £9,000 to £10,000 announced in May to combat the effects of coronavirus. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the funding boost would “strengthen the voice of local communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas in England”. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>These communities will also be granted access to additional technical expertise for free, including for housing needs assessments and producing masterplans. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Neighbourhood planning groups involve local people making planning decisions in their area – including on the location of new homes, shops and green spaces - through neighbourhood plans. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Urban areas are defined as non-parished, with a deprived area categorised as being amongst the 20% most deprived areas in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation, MHCLG explained. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>MHCLG’s announcement follows the publication last week of its white paper, </span><span><span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/launch-of-planning-for-the-future-consultation-to-reform-the-planning-system"><span><span>Planning for the Future</span></span></a></span></span><span>, which sets ministers’ intentions to overhaul “the outdated planning system to deliver the high …