Emerging Local Plan

The Borough Council is currently progressing a review of the whole Local Plan, following the adoption of the Local Plan Part 2 (PDF) [12MB] (opens new window) . A timetable for the preparation of Local Plan documents is set out in the Local Development Scheme (PDF) [245KB] (opens new window) . 

The new Local Plan will eventually replace the Core Strategy and the Local Plan Part 2. It is intended the new Local Plan will be a single document, rather than being separate Local Plans covering strategy, allocation and detailed policies. The plan will include a strategy for development, including identifying needs for housing and economic development over the period to 2041. The plan will identify land for development and other site-specific policies, as well as detailed policies to help determine planning applications.

Local Plan options consultation

The Local Plan options consultation opened on 06 January 2023 and closed at 23:59 on 27 February 2023.

The consultation sought your views on some of the key matters that the new Local Plan will need to contain. The consultation was comprised of a series of questions to help the Borough Council prepare the Local Plan.   

The consultation also sought views on potential sites for development that could be allocated for new housing, commercial and other types of development and help meet development needs. The borough council will now assess these sites, taking into account comments raised during this process before consulting upon preferred options later this year.  This page will be updated with further information as soon as it is available. 

Call for sites

The Borough Council is providing an opportunity for further site submissions until 27 February 2023 to run alongside the Local Plan options consultation. Sites submitted through the process will be assessed as part of the preparation of the new Local Plan and will help inform what sites should be allocated for development, or protected from development, and also help inform the overall distribution of development across the Borough. All sites submitted will be subject to public consultation at subsequent stages of preparation.  

You can submit a site for consideration by using the Further call for sites (options consultation) (opens new window).

Sustainability appraisal scoping report

The sustainability appraisal will be a key tool to assess the likely effects of the plan on environmental, economic and social objectives. The scoping report is the first stage of the process and its purpose is to identify key sustainability issues, plus objectives that the plan will be tested against.

The Council has published a Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (opens new window) that was subject to focused consultation with statutory consultees and neighbouring authorities between 27 May 2022 and 08 July 2022. The report has now been updated to reflect the feedback received during the technical consultation.