Community Rights Resource Pack

This pack is to help local people and communities get their voice heard in decisions which affect them. It covers the three most important areas where people have rights in environmental decision-making:

• your right to know
• your right to participate
• your right to challenge

The guides below are designed to be 'stand alone' so you can pick and mix what is most relevant to you. Some of the detail is quite complicated, but don't be put off. Just remember that local knowledge is often as important, if not more important, than expert and professional opinion.

The pack has a final section containing a glossary for commonly used terms, and also a referral directory to point you in the direction of other contacts and organisations that could help.

Please note : This information in the pack is from 2007,  and so parts are out of date. We will be updating this resource within the next few months, but in the meantime please contact us (email jenny.lopez@foe.co.uk or telephone 020 7490 1555) if you would like an updated version of any particular section.

Your right to know

(This section downloads as a complete set)

1. Right To Know Handbook

1.1 Accessing Environmental Information
1.2 Accessing Other Information
1.3 Your Other Rights to Know
1.4 Using the System
1.5 Useful Tools

Your right to participate: community strategies

2.1 Community Strategies and Local Strategic Partnerships (PDF)

Your right to participate: the development plan system

3.1 The English Planning System: an overview (PDF)
3.2 Local Development Schemes (PDF)
3.3 Statements of Community Involvement
3.4 Local Development Frameworks
3.5 Waste Development Frameworks (PDF)
3.6 Retail Policy & Local Development Frameworks (PDF)
3.7 Climate Change & Local Development Frameworks (PDF)
3.8 Strategic Environmental Assessment (PDF)

Your right to participate: the development control system

4.1 Planning Applications: a campaigner's guide (PDF)
4.2 Environmental Impact Assessment (PDF)
4.3 Public Inquiries

Your right to challenge

5.1 Judicial Review: an overview (PDF)
5.2 Statutory Nuisance (PDF)

Visit the Friends of the Earth planning website