Govt. has announced increased financial support for NDP groups to reflect the additional costs for communities when preparing and consulting on NDPs during COVID-19 restrictions. The basic grant goes form £9000 to £10000.
Locality has updated its NDP Website to provide advice about Neighbourhood Planning during the current difficulties. See https://neighbourhoodplanning.org/about/planning-through-covid-19/
From 10th August Govt. has also increased the funding available to NDP groups in ‘urban and deprived’ areas, the latter being those in the 20% most deprived areas in England, as demonstrated in the Index of Multipole Deprivation [IMD]. The additional support will increase the grant available from £10,000 to £18,000 and give access to a range of technical planning support packages, which only a limited range of groups currently qualify for.
No definition as to what constitutes an urban area for the purposes of this grant, so market town NDP groups may find it worth enquiring to see if their areas will qualify.