The South Hams Society sincerely thank The Friends of the Earth for allowing us to reproduce extracts from their excellent guides.

Looking for tips on how to run a great stall? Not sure how you can make the most of social media? Or how to go about recruiting new members?

At times it can feel like the people with the most money and connections get to make the decisions about what happens where you live. And it can feel like those with less power are the ones who have to put up with the consequences — affecting their health and quality of life.

The South Hams Society and Friends of the Earth  are committed to supporting people in their hopes for more sustainable development. We want to provide the tools to enable you to have your say in the decisions which will affect you.

Here you will find guidance on community rights, environment and planning law, written by the FOE’s own expert team of lawyers and planners.

Your right to know

Information is power. Freedom of Information (FOI) laws give everyone the opportunity to access information held by public authorities such as national and local government.

FOI Part 1: What You Can Ask For And How

FOI Part 2: Information Requests

Your right to participate

The English Planning System: An overview

Planning Applications: A Campaigner’s Guide

Local Plans: A Campaigner’s Guide

Environmental Impact Assessment: A Campaigner’s Guide

Environmental Impact Assessment and Case Law Annex

Public Inquiries: A Campaigner’s Guide

Your right to challenge

JR Part 1: An Introduction

JR Part 2: The Process

Community Rights and Justice Centre

We take on a small number of environmental public-interest cases on behalf of these groups. We try, in particular, to work with community groups that suffer the brunt of bad environmental decisions and cannot otherwise get legal advice.

Planning support

Bothe the South Hams Society and the FOE take on a very small number of environmental public-interest cases on behalf of local groups. We especially try to accommodate the needs of those community groups under threat of development and that cannot otherwise get planning consultancy advice.

Our support can range from providing advice on making objections, to responding to planning consultations, providing Inquiry advice and enabling better and effective understanding of, and engagement with, the planning system.