Neighbourhood planning and the impact of place identity on housing development in England

This paper concerns the impact of social constructions of place and community identity on plans for housebuilding. It discusses the policy of neighbourhood planning in England in which statutory powers were devolved to place-based communities in exchange for their support for housing growth. Originating the analytical concept of place identity frames, the paper explores how attachments to place were scripted into planning policy by neighbourhood plans to regulate the size, location and delivery of housebuilding. It argues that analysis of neighbourhood plans can provide significant insight into the role of place attachment in winning community support for new housing supply.