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Local Plan Full Update

Local Plan Full Update

Introducing the 'Commonplace tool'

The Council has adopted a new tool 'Commonplace' to help with community engagement and promotion of key issues relating to the Local Plan.  This leading technology has been used successfully by a number of local authorities in their Local Plan processes, and we intend to use it as part of our approach to grow the reach and engagement with the Local Plan process.

There is the facility for anyone tosign up to our Commonplace website (opens new window) in order to receive updates and share information with the planning team. 

Consultation events

The Council is committed to ongoing engagement with communities. As such, we will continue to hold consultation events with local communities following the publication of the Draft Local Plan  You will be able to view and register for information about virtual and in person consultation events via the Commonplace website

Regulation 18 Consultation (Draft Plan)

The Council will be carrying out public consultation on the Draft Plan in May and June 2024. This stage of the local plan (known as Regulation 18) sets out the Council's draft policies and growth strategy and is an important stage in the plan-making process. It provides an early opportunity for our communities, businesses, landowners, developers, partners and stakeholders to 'have a say' and comment on the draft Local Plan before it is considered further and then finalised for the next (Regulation 19)

All comments will be considered as part of the process of preparing the next version of the Local Plan, known as the 'Pre-Submission' or 'Regulation 19' version. This will be subject to further consultation in early 2025, prior to the Local Plan being submitted for independent examination. We are keen for local people to tell us their views and we would therefore encourage you to get involved and have your say on this draft version of the Plan.

Regulation 18 Consultation (Development Options)

A 6 week period of public consultation on the Regulation 18 Local Plan: Full Update (emerging development strategy) began on Monday January 8 and and ended on February 19 2024.

The closing date for responses is Monday 19 February 2024 - at 5pm.

You can view and respond to this consultation now, at the Council's Commonplace planning consultation portal.

Consultation description

Following the successful period of consultation on the Issues and Options stage of the Local Plan preparation, the Council undertook this additional round of public consultation that moved the Plan preparation forward by focussing on key areas that were identified as part of the earlier Issues and Options consultation. In particular, this engagement responded to some of the key issues raised by respondents by seeking views on:

  • Alternative Development Scenarios - helping to consider the amount of new homes and other development to be directed to each of our towns and villages
  • Settlement boundaries and protection of the countryside - seeking views on the best approach to defining where new development is appropriate.

New evidence base papers are also published including:

  • Call for Sites -  initial Phase 1 Site Assessments and proposed site selection process, and
  • Local Service Centre Topic Paper, 2023 update.
  • Villages with Boundaries Topic Paper 2023 Update

You can view the consultation documents atBreckland Local Plan Commonplace (opens new window)

All comments will be made available to view on the Councils website

Call for Sites

Between April and December 2022 the council undertook a Call for Sites consultation as part of the Update on the Local Plan. This is a way for landowners, developers, individuals, parish and town councils and other interested parties to suggest sites for development or for protection as Local Green Space. This is a normal part of plan making.  

We need to ensure that the sites eventually allocated within the Plan are deliverable. This means, among other factors, that the landowner is open to developing it within the required timescales. As such, a Call for Sites is an important part of finding out what land may be available. 

Responses to the Call for Sitesviewable on our new engagement platform at Commonplace (opens new window).

Issues and Options

The Issues and Options consultation was an important part of the Local Plan process.

It was the first stage of public consultation, where the community was asked how they would like to tackle a range of planning issues and proposed options for the future development of the District.

The consultation did not identify potential development sites or draft policy working.

The Issues and Options consultation ran from March 10 to May 19 2023.

This consultation is now closed.

The Consultation Document 

The Issues and Options consultation document was made up of themed sections, setting out options for how we could approach the policy. There were questions alongside each section where responses could be made.

Evidence Base

Last updated: 23/04/2024 12:34:24