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How long will it take and how much will it cost?

How long will it take to produce?

A Parish Plan can be produced in as little as 6 months but most groups take at least a year as the document will be based on extensive public consultation and is likely to rely heavily on voluntary time.

How much will it cost to produce?

The cost of producing a Parish Plan will depend very much on the type of document and the consultation process followed. Countryside Agency funding is no longer available and most groups will need to fund the production and printing costs themselves. Small sums may be available from the County Council and, within the District's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the relevant AONB Management body.

The main expense faced by the Parish Plan groups is to cover printing. Most groups apply to the Parish Council for funding to commence the process and to cover the initial costs of hiring halls for exhibitions, producing questionnaires and providing refreshments, which can often be done surprisingly cheaply. The cost of printing questionnaires and the finished Parish Plan is often prohibitive, particularly if lengthy full colour documents are sent to every household, and can rarely be met in full by the Parish Council. Costs can be greatly reduced by printing all documents in black and white (perhaps with a colour cover) and by distributing a single page leaflet summarising the Action Plan to every household so that full copies only need to be produced for those who actually request them. Some groups make a small charge for their documents, which helps to cover production costs. To reduce the number of printed copies required, the District Council will provide copies of any endorsed Parish Plans upon request and they will be available to download from this webpage.

Page last updated on 25 May 2012