Public encouraged to have their say on the drafting of the new Local Plan
Test Valley Borough Council is set to consult with the public on the drafting of the authority's new Local Plan.
The Local Plan is a statutory document which sets out the vision for how land across the borough will be used in planning terms. It stipulates the scale and location of growth, the infrastructure required and how certain areas of the borough will be protected from development.
The council agreed to publish an Issues and Options document for public consultation at a meeting on Wednesday 27 June. The document will encourage the public to consider the issues that the borough, and those who live and work in Test Valley, will face, and how to deal with them. Feedback from residents on the Issues and Options document will contribute towards the development of detailed policies for the next stage of the plan preparation. The consultation will commence on 6 July for 10 weeks.
Planning portfolio holder, councillor Nick Adams-King, said: "I’m determined the process of drafting the next Local Plan should be as open and transparent as possible. This is therefore the opportunity for everyone who lives or works in Test Valley to get involved at the very beginning of the process of drafting the plan. Inevitably, the main focus of the consultation responses is likely to be on meeting our residents' housing needs in the right locations, but the consultation also covers employment, the environment and infrastructure needs. We want to ensure that we are able to maximise the benefit of any growth in the borough, while minimising the impact on communities and the environment. My message to everyone is clear, please get involved and let us know your thoughts and ideas and don’t be afraid to be innovative in your thinking.”
The council adopted its current Local Plan in January 2016, which covers the period up to 2029. The new Local Plan, which will form the basis for determining all planning applications within the borough, will cover the period up to 2036.
The Issues and Options Consultation for the next Local Plan is now open.