First consultation on new Wiltshire Local Plan

Residents, businesses and other organisations will have their first opportunity to help shape a new Wiltshire Local Plan next month.

The consultation will be the first formal stage in preparing a replacement for the council’s previous Local Plan, which was withdrawn from examination earlier this year after planning inspectors raised concerns about whether it provided enough housing land, relied too heavily on proposed new settlements and matched development with areas of demand.

The withdrawal has raised concerns that, without an up-to-date Local Plan, developers could find it easier to bring forward housing proposals on sites that have not been allocated for development. There have also been concerns about the weight that can be given to existing neighbourhood plans when planning applications are considered.

The new Local Plan will set out how and where development should take place across Wiltshire, including housing, employment, infrastructure and waste facilities.

The initial consultation, known as the scoping consultation, will run from 2nd to 30th September. It will ask for views on what the new plan should cover and how people would like to be involved as it is developed.

This stage is not a consultation on specific housing sites. Further consultations will take place as the new plan progresses.

The council says the new plan will need to take account of significant future growth, with current government policy requiring Wiltshire to plan for around 3,500 new homes each year.

Public engagement events will also be held during the consultation, giving residents the chance to find out more about the process and share their views.

A public webinar will also be held on Thursday 17th September from 6pm to 7pm.

The Local Plan process will officially begin on 30th October, when the government’s 30-month timetable for completing the plan will start.

Leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Cllr Ian Thorn, said, “The scoping consultation in September will be the first opportunity for residents, businesses and stakeholders to share their views and help shape the direction of the plan.

“Supporting thriving communities is a key part of Our Wiltshire Plan, and the new Local Plan will help ensure growth is planned in a way that delivers the homes, jobs, services and infrastructure Wiltshire needs for the future.”

Further public consultations will take place during later stages of the plan-making process.

To find out more, visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-plan.