Part 6: Planning in England Neighbourhood Planning Section 140: Timetable in relation to neighbourhood development orders and plans
This section amends the 1990 Act and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to enable the Secretary of State to prescribe time periods within which local planning authorities must undertake key neighbourhood planning functions.
	Paragraph 12 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act sets out what a local planning authority must do on receipt of a report by an independent examiner of a proposal for a neighbourhood development order or plan. The key decision is whether a referendum should be held on the proposal. If the authority propose to make a decision which differs from that recommended by the examiner, paragraph 13 of Schedule 4B requires prescribed persons to be consulted. The authority may also refer the issue to independent examination. New paragraph 13A of Schedule 4B, inserted by subsection (1) of this section, enables the Secretary of State to prescribe in regulations time limits for authorities to decide whether to hold a referendum and for other actions under paragraphs 12 or 13.
	Section 140 also amends section 61E of the 1990 Act and section 38A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to enable the Secretary of State to prescribe a date by which a local planning authority must make a neighbourhood development order or plan that has been approved in each applicable referendum (unless the authority considers that making the order or plan would not be compatible with any EU obligation or Convention right).