OXFORD Civic Society will be hosting an event to help people understand new planning laws. The Localism Act 2011 allows residents to set up “neighbourhood plans” which carry equal weight to city council policy when planning applications are decided.

Such a plan is already being drawn up in Thame.

The civic society will be holding an event in the Town Hall, St Aldate’s from 6pm to 9pm tomorrow to explain the changes.

Michael Crofton-Briggs, Oxford City Council’s head of city development, city council leader Bob Price and Dr Sue Brownhill, a reader in urban planning and governance at Oxford Brookes University, will be taking part.

The evening aims to explain the idea to the public. The event includes a round table discussion as well as a question and answer session.