Dorset Council is asking landowners to submit land for consideration as part of the next stages of preparing the Dorset Council Local Plan.
The council is asking for submissions of land that may have the potential for:
- New housing
- Accommodation for Gypsy and Traveller communities
- Employment land.
- Mitigation for habitat sites.
- Renewable or low carbon energy.
Any submission will be considered as to whether they are suitable for the intended use (having regard to relevant planning policies, site characteristics and any supporting information/evidence provided), whether development would be viable and whether there any limitations on the way the land could be used which could restrict development.
Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, said:
“It is important that we maintain an up-to-date picture of available land for all types of development for the future of the council area.
“We are custodians of the area, and as such need to balance the future needs of residents for homes, work, health and leisure with managing and maintaining the environments that makes Dorset unique.”
Find guides for submission and submit a site using the online survey
Has any consideration been given to river power? There are several old sites around the county, former water mills and the like, and maybe the pendulum has swung back that they could be used again.
River power has a limited number of sites, but every little helps.
Hi Steve – the creation of power is not a council function. We get involved with plans for power creation as a planning authority, bound by adopted local plans and the National Planning Policy Framework. Regards Fiona
Does this mean that the painstaking and carefully negotiated local plans are no longer relevant?
What is the point of local parish councils doing all this work to ensure that residents of their area have a say in what is, and what is not, acceptable?
We cannot afford to repeat the consultations year after year.
Hi Bill – all the adopted neighbourhood and local plans are considered when a planning application is considered. This call is to ensure that we have a supply of land for housing. This will all be pulled together into the Draft Dorset Council Local Plan. Fiona
Does this mean you are restarting the Local Plan Process again or are you just interested in enlarging the land bank.
Hi Steve – this is a regular thing that we do. We are still working on the Dorset Council Local Plan you can keep up to date with the latest at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/dorset-council-local-plan. Regards Fiona