The consultation of the Dorset Council Local Plan has been scrutinised by a working group of elected councillors that is making sure that the project keeps to its objectives.
The executive advisory panel (EAP) is a working group of elected councillors, supported by officers are tasked by Dorset Council’s Cabinet to focus on areas of work to make sure that it is carried out according to the council’s priorities. Any recommendations that the group has have to be agreed by the council’s Cabinet.
The first consultation for the Dorset Council Local Plan took place earlier this year and received over 60,000 comments via the web form, posted paper copies or via email, around 7,000 individuals responded. There was a good cross section of residents from all age groups, from 11 years old to 85 years old.
All the comments are being considered within the framework set by National Planning Policy which informs all planning decisions. We aim to publish the comments on the consultation in July.
The Dorset Council Local Plan contains strategies to shape the area over a 17-year period. These include planning growth in the right places at the right time, maximising the supporting infrastructure secured through development, boosting the local economy, and protecting the high-quality local environment. Without a plan, and an ability to show that it has a five-year supply of land for development, the council is open to challenge from developers who would then be able to build homes in unplanned locations potentially harming our high quality environment.
During the pandemic the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) gave guidance that local councils should not delay the production of their Local Plans. Dorset Council took on board this guidance and used a mixture of online and traditional methods to promote the consultation on the Dorset Council Local Plan to make sure that a representative sample of the population responded to the questionnaire.
The timeline for the production of the first Dorset Council Local Plan is:
Stages 1 to 3
- Prepare a consultation plan from previous work and gathered evidence.
- Consultation January 2021 – Complete
Stage 4
- Review the consultation responses, gather the necessary evidence and review the local plan
- March 2021 to January 2022 – underway
Stages 5 and 6
- Prepare the submission version of the plan and supporting material and submit to the Secretary of State for examination in public
- May to October 2022
Stages 7 and 8
- Public examination by planning inspector
- 2022/2023
Stage 9
- Plan is adopted and used as part of the development plan
- 2023
In 2020, the Government published a whitepaper consultation proposing changes to the national planning system. View Dorset Council’s response to this consultation
The draft Dorset Council Local Plan has been prepared with these potential changes in mind, but until it is clear what the Government wants local authorities to do and when these changes will become law.
Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council portfolio holder for planning, said:
“There has been a lot of criticism about our Local Plan, but we are making a robust plan for the future of Dorset. It will protect us from unplanned ‘pepper pot’ developments and make sure that the developments are planned with the infrastructure that our residents deserve.
“We are looking at every comment that has been made and looking at whether we can accommodate them within the plan, while still providing an environment for Dorset’s economy to grow to it’s potential.”
Further information on the future growth of the local economy, from ecological surveys, new flood risk maps for Dorset rivers and the environment bill are also being incorporated in the next draft of the plan.
The link inviting readers to find out more about the local plan is not working – “page not found”. Is there anything new please or should the link simply take one to the earlier consultation documents?
I will check and update the link – Fiona
The link is now working – Fiona
The local plan was prepared and consulted in Jan – March without any up date evidence based. In absence of update evidence this consultation was failed to be meaningful.
It is impossible to think that the pre submission stage of the plan will be able to prepare by May 2022 in the absence of update evidence base. The plan consulted in Jan 2021 was lacking strategic decisions and policies covering all plan area.
Everything the spatial planning is doing behind the door, which means that its operation is not transparent. It will definitely be failed in the examination. An independent inspector will no doubt find the plan unsound. The number of houses is not only consideration examining the plan
Well done the DC plsnners. the DC plan area will be vulnerable for scattered development in the absence of a local plan.. dont listen to the voice of residents , carry on fulfing developers’ demand not local people needs
I am dismayed at the time, in years, it takes to build houses, which are so desperately needed.
May I suggest, in order to help our most under-privileged citizens, that an urgent plan to build prefabricated houses – as happened after WW2 – is undertaken?
I firmly believe that the most serious problems in society are rooted in the lack of decent housing. A man, in particular, needs a home he can care for and be proud of, in which to bring up a family – rather than endure the difficulties of living in accommodation far too small and without easy access to outside space.
How many of us would have come through in the far from perfect living conditions forced upon many today?
In your future housing plans, please give serious thought to using the site of the old hotel at the end of Manor road. This hotel – or the rubble which is all that is left of it – is an eyesore and has been for almost fifteen years. Why cannot this site be used ? It is fast becoming a dumping ground for unwanted articles and rubbish. The weeds are waist high and the surrounding fencing is falling apart. All in all, this site is a disgrace. What it going to be done about it ?
Mrs Doubleday – unfortunately if a property is in private ownership there is very little we can do. If it is listed or of community interest we can issue a notice that legally insists on repairs or the owners will be charged for repairs that are done. This is only to keep the fabric of the building sound. Fiona
The hyperlink as constructed on this page just gives:
Page not found
for
Find out more about the Dorset Council Local Plan
http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-council-local-plan.aspx
Dorset residents were told all comments on the strategic plan would be published by the Summer 2021. Where are they? Why are they not on the website?
Why is everything taking so long on the Dorset Strategic Plan? What on earth are Dorset staff doing with all their work time?
https://news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/2021/11/01/dorset-council-local-plan-comments-are-published/