The National Trust is warning that "front runner" neighbourhood plans have been held back by a lack of clear guidance and direction.
Marking both the close of consultation on proposed neighbourhood plan regulations and its new role campaigning on planning, the Trust said that, although it welcomes localism and neighbourhood planning, it foresees major problems.
It said there is no clarity on the relationship between local plans and neighbourhood plans and which has primacy and where.
"The draft regulations place a great emphasis on local authorities as the ultimate arbiters and decision makers," said assistant director, external affairs, Ben Cowell.
"Yet planning services at the local level face severe cutbacks. Those working on the frontrunner plans told us that they lack the crucial professional skills that are needed to create effective plans and engage fully with the community."
He said they are suffering from lack of a central networking facility to communicate with other neighbourhood forums.
"Where the neighbourhood plan front runners are succeeding, they have had help from The Prince's Trust, CPRE, RTPI and Locality," he said.
"This assistance has been funded by the Government for the pilot phase only. Financial support is essential if the Government's goal of localism is to be achieved, so the fact that no ongoing funding is confirmed yet for neighbourhood plans is of great concern."
