COMMUNITIES could seize more control over how their streets develop.

New legislation allows residents to create “neighbourhood plans” that carry weight when planning applications for homes and businesses are decided.

Under the Localism Act, which became law at the end of last year, neighbourhoods can put together planning policy to sit alongside that created by councils.

Such a scheme is becoming a reality in Thame, where a document is being drawn up before going to public consultation.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price welcomed the legislation.

He said: “There are bound to be things in our policy which communities think we have left out or can be done better.

“The city is full of very active groups and it would be good to see these neighbourhood plans happen.

“I would have no problems with lots of communities across Oxford doing this.”

A neighbourhood plan would have to go through a public consultation as well as a local referendum to become a reality.

Thame is well on the way to having one and mayor David Bretherton hopes the document will be finished by May with a referendum by the end of the year.

He said: “The Government says we have to build 75,000 houses and this will determine where they will go. It will also say how we develop the town centre and it could determine the architecture of the town.”

Oxford city councillor Michael Gotch believes plans could help communities after the city council centralised planning decisions last year. Previously, council area committees had decided plans at a more local level.

He said: “Area committees were a very democratic set-up and this goes towards making that right.

“Residents have been asking me about neighbourhood plans and people are beginning to realise they have an opportunity to have an input in the planning process.

“We recently had a meeting on it in Wolvercote and the village hall was pretty full.”