Local Plan enters final stage
News release issued:
Wyre Forest District Council is entering the final stages of the process to adopt a new Local Plan.
The Local Plan identifies where development sites for homes and business will be and the services and infrastructure needed to support them.
Wyre Forest District Council’s plan for 2016-2036 was submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination at the end of April 2020 and the public hearings which are part of the Examination were conducted by the Planning Inspectorate at the start of the year.
On Thursday (7 October) the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider a report which sets out the Main Modifications identified by the Planning Inspector. These are recommendations which the inspector feels necessary to make the Plan ‘sound’ and legally compliant.
Throughout the process of developing the Local Plan the Council has conducted consultation. A further six weeks of consultation on the Main Modifications looks set to take place later in October. If the consultation is given the go ahead, members of the public will be invited to submit their comments, but only in respect of the Main Modifications. Any part of the Plan not proposed for amendment as a Main Modification is not part of this latest consultation as it has already been found satisfactory by the Inspector.
Councillor Helen Dyke, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council said:
“Adopting a new Local Plan is one of our key strategic actions as it will protect the community against speculative development and make sure that we can shape communities with the supporting jobs, infrastructures and services. This is an important stage in moving it forward. Following the public hearing earlier the Inspector was satisfied that many of the sites and policies in our Local Plan do not require changes. It remains broadly in line with the plan submitted in April 2020. Some modifications have been identified to make it sound and legally compliant. These are being discussed at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and it will make recommendations to the council’s Cabinet.”
Overview and Scrutiny Committee takes place on Thursday 7 October at 6pm. Recommendations from the committee will be considered by the council’s Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday 13 October.