A Draft Local Plan has been published ahead of councillor consideration and public consultation in the New Year.
A Local Plan is a crucial planning document that provides a vision for creating sustainable development in the district as well as proposed sites and planning policies.
It says how much development is needed and where it should go, and what business sites are required.
The plan will also set out how development can be managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible.
Encompassing all parts of the district outside the South Downs National Park and covering a period stretching to 2040, East Hampshire District Council’s Local Plan is still in the draft stage.
It is due to be discussed by the council’s Planning Policy Committee on Wednesday 10 January and, pending approval there, it will go to a six-week public consultation, starting towards the end of January.
Cllr Angela Glass, Portfolio Holder for Regulation and Enforcement, said: “We have published our Draft Local Plan on our website so residents can have a look at it over Christmas.
“The Local Plan is a hugely important document for the future of the district and sets out how it will sustainably grow over the next decade and a half.
“However, it is still at the draft stage, it will be discussed by councillors in early January and, if they approve, it will be put out to public consultation towards the end of the month.
“That’s when residents can get involved and have their say. So please be ready to make your comments during our consultation in January.”
It is standard convention to publish documents to be discussed at council meetings one week before the meeting. The Draft Local Plan is being published three weeks ahead of the 10 January Planning Policy meeting to give residents a chance to look it over during the Christmas break.
Please do not submit comments on the proposed Local Plan before the consultation officially starts – we will not be able to take early comments into account.
Timeline
Friday 22 December - Draft Local Plan published on our website early
Wednesday 10 January – Members of the council’s Planning Policy Committee will discuss the Draft Local Plan
Monday 22 January – If approved by the Planning Policy Committee, a public consultation would be likely to start on Monday 22 January
Keep up-to-date with the Draft Local Plan