WINCHESTER has hosted a seminar helping local communities get to grips with some of the complexities of planning.

The government’s Localism Act may have been designed with community empowerment in mind, but parish councils are often confronted with a bewildering array of documents, from parish plans to village design statements.

But help is at hand.

Community groups, parish councils and interested residents were all in attendance for a seminar held at Winchester’s Holiday Inn.

Christopher Napier, chairman of planning and policy at the Hampshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), who explained how localism can be harnessed by communities, and how it can be used in conjunction with community-led planning.

Attendees also heard from the likes of David McKinney. As chairman of Stroud Parish Council, Mr McKinney was able to offer attendees first-hand experience of how local authorities can shape their neighbourhoods.

Phil Allen, of Kings Worthy Parish Council, said the event had been a huge help.

“It was very useful and the thing that came out of it was that we need to work very closely with Winchester City Council. A neighbourhood plan is by far the biggest document and very expensive, so it’s not something that parish councils can undertake lightly.”