Ashfield Local Plan in its final stages

The District’s new Local plan is reaching the final stages in its preparation and development.

Following several rounds of consultation, where local residents, businesses and organisations were able to give their views, the Council submitted the Ashfield Local Plan Development Plan Document (DPD) to the Secretary of State on Friday February 24.

The submitted Local plan sets out policies on development in the District until 2032 and identifies the Council’s approach to new housing and jobs, retail and leisure facilities, infrastructure and local services, climate change and the environment.

It aims to make sure the new homes, jobs and services required by communities are located in the most sustainable places, and that the infrastructure and other development needed to make this possible are delivered.

Councillor Don Davis, Deputy Leader of the Council, commented: “The Council believes that it has submitted a ‘sound, legally compliant’ and evidence based Local Plan and welcomes the independent examination of the document.

“Whether it be new homes, schools for our children or premises for business to thrive and prosper, the Council is committed to doing all it can to make the District a great place to live, work and enjoy. This Plan is about providing the right development in the right places at the right time.

“The Council believes that the submitted Local Plan balances development needs with the continued protection of the high quality environment that makes Ashfield an attractive place to live, work and visit.”

The Local Plan will now be submitted to an examination process undertaken by a Planning Inspector who will examine the way in which the Council prepared the Plan and its content.

The Council has provided the Planning Inspector with both a summary of representations made during the consultation process and each individual representation.

As part of the examination, the Inspector will invite people who made representations through the Publication stage to participate in public hearings where they will be able to respond to the matters identified by the Inspector.

The hearings will be open to all, but only people invited by the Inspector will be able to speak. These hearings are likely to take place during May or June 2017 and will be advertised in the local press and on the Council’s website. Details will also be sent to people who made representations during the publication stage.

At the end of this process, the Inspector will determine if the Local Plan is sound and legally compliant and will make recommendations on any changes and the adoption of the Local Plan.