Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed to begin work on a new Local Plan for the county, setting out how and where development will take place across the county in the years ahead.
This follows last month’s decision to withdraw the previous Local Plan from examination after concerns were raised by planning inspectors.
Those concerns included issues around housing land supply, reliance on proposed new settlements and how development would align with areas of demand.
The withdrawal of the plan prompted concerns that, without an up-to-date Local Plan in place, developers may be more likely to bring forward proposals on unallocated sites and that appeals against refused applications could be harder for the council to defend.
Work will begin immediately, with an initial scoping consultation planned for September, giving residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to help shape the plan at an early stage.
Changes to the national planning system require councils to prepare Local Plans within an accelerated 30-month timescale, which will begin on Friday 30th October.
Further public consultations will follow during later stages of the plan-making process.
Once completed, the new Wiltshire Local Plan will replace the council’s existing development plans and provide an up-to-date framework to guide decisions on housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental protection across the county.
Leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Cllr Ian Thorn, said, “Starting work on a new Local Plan means we can plan positively for Wiltshire’s future, making sure development is in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure and shaped by the views of local people.
“However, we must be clear – because of the government’s approach to how housing need is calculated, this new Local Plan will need to plan for around 3,500 homes per year, an increase from just under 2,000 homes per year. This is a significant number and it will be challenging but by working with our communities, I am confident we can deliver these new homes for residents.”
To find out more and read the Cabinet papers, people should go to https://shorturl.at/6PyQz
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