Council begins process of preparing new Local Plan

Shropshire Council has this week formally commenced the process of preparing the new Local Plan for the county by passing through ‘Gateway 1’ under the Government’s new-style Local Plan making arrangements.

Gateway 1 involves self-assessing the council’s readiness to start the 30-month plan preparation process and publishing a summary of this self-assessment. The publication of this self-assessment formally marks the start of the 30-month period.

It follows the completion of the statutory ‘scoping’ stage of plan making, which the council carried out during the summer. This included a consultation on a scoping document, for which the council received over 800 responses from residents and organisations. These responses are currently being assessed and will be used to inform the next stage of Plan making, alongside wider evidence.

David Walker, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning, said:

“This week marks an important step in preparing Shropshire’s next Local Plan. Completing the Gateway 1 process confirms that we are ready to move forward with a clear programme of work to develop a plan that reflects the needs, ambitions and priorities of our communities.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part in the recent scoping consultation. The feedback received from residents, businesses, parish councils and stakeholders will help shape the evidence and thinking that underpin the new plan.

“The Local Plan will play a vital role in guiding how Shropshire grows and develops over the coming years. We are committed to continuing to work closely with our communities throughout the process to ensure the final plan supports sustainable growth while protecting the qualities that make Shropshire such a special place.”

The Gateway 1 self-assessment document is published on the Council website here.