Part 6: Planning in England Neighbourhood Planning Section 139: Designation of neighbourhood areas
This section amends section 61G of the 1990 Act (meaning of "neighbourhood area"). That section provides for local planning authorities in England to designate neighbourhood areas within which neighbourhood planning activities may take place. A local planning authority may only designate a neighbourhood area where a relevant body (a parish council, where there is one, or an organisation or body which is, or is capable of being, designated as a neighbourhood forum) has applied to the authority for an area specified in the application to be designated. The authority must designate at least some of the area applied for (unless all of the area applied for is already designated).
	The amendment enables the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring a local planning authority to designate all of the area applied for if the application meets prescribed criteria or has not been determined within a prescribed period (subject to prescribed exceptions).