The Local Plan - timeline

Stage One of the process was carried out in June 2017 with an Issues and Options consultation, in which we invited you to complete a questionnaire regarding the overall development strategy and possible development locations. These responses were used to help draft our Preferred Approach Plan.

For The Local Plan Review, the preferred approach is the second stage of the process. It sets out the proposed development strategy and policies for the area to meet future needs. We invited you to make comments on our preferred approach between December 2018 and February 2019. These responses, along with the further evidence we have gathered, have been used to help draft a revised version of the plan.

Between 3 February and 17 March 2023, we invited you to comment on three specific questions or tests in relation to the Proposed Submission Local Plan - legal compliance, soundness and compliance with the Duty to Cooperate. Your comments have been submitted, alongside the Local Plan, to the Planning Inspectorate for their independent examination. The Plan includes modifications we are proposing in response to your representations.

A planning inspector will be chosen by the government to examine our plan and they will then report on their findings.  There may be further changes to the plan required as a result of the hearing sessions held with the inspector.  These changes are called 'main modifications' and there will be a six week consultation on them before the examination ends.

We will adopt the Local Plan once the planning inspector is happy with it.