Leic, Beds and Northants Local Plan Watch - Spring 2020

BEDFORDSHIRE

Things you need to know:

• Central Bedfordshire Local Plan Examination has stalled pending main modifications and the threat of a Judicial Review to a key piece of infrastructure.
• Bedford Borough Local Plan was adopted January 2020 and has already faced an unsuccessful housing land supply challenge but are due to launch their plan review this summer, including a call for sites.
• Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire seek to benefit from key sub-regional infrastructure from the proposed route of East-West Rail and the provision of new and/or enhanced railway stations.

Bedford Borough

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2030 was adopted 15th January 2020 meaning that the Council are now considered to have an up to date plan. This plan was submitted under the transitional arrangements put in place during the introduction of the Standardised Methodology. Already the Local Plan and its ability to deliver the Council’s housing need has come under challenge with a recent dismissed appeal decision issued in April. In this decision the Inspector chose not to engage in a calculation of land supply determining that this would undermine to the planned early review of the Local Plan requested by the Local Plan Inspector (as discussed below).

Policy 1 of the Local Plan requires an update or replacement plan to be submitted for examination no more than three years from adoption. As a result, we anticipate work to begin on this review within the next six months. This is particularly of note given that the Local Housing Need for Bedford Borough is expected to increase substantially because the Standardised Methodology will be used. They have since announced to launch their Regulation 18 consultation, as part of this review this summer.

Central Bedfordshire

The emerging Local Plan was submitted for examination on 30th April 2018. Inspectors Matthew Birkinshaw BA (Hons) Msc MRTPI and Helen Hockenhull BA (Hons) BPl MRTPI commenced Hearing sessions on 21st May 2019, which closed on 26th July 2019.

Following the closure of the hearing sessions, correspondence was exchanged between the Inspectors and the Council regarding the disclosure of information and the soundness of the plan. On 31st January 2020, the Council submitted proposed modifications alongside accompanying statements relating to previous hearing sessions. This set out a timetable for further work to enable further hearing sessions in Spring/Summer 2020. The Council’s conclusions on the final modifications will include a revised Sustainability Appraisal and were due to be published by April 2020.

However, in a letter dated 19th March the Inspectors have confirmed that further hearing sessions will be postponed until September, at the earliest, as a result of covid 19. In the March 19th letter, the Inspectors also requested confirmation from the Council on whether they still intend to meet the April deadline for the Sustainability Appraisal.

On 20th February 2020, Central Bedfordshire published a letter to the Inspectors on the M1-A6 link road, confirming that the approved planning application was being called in for judicial review by Luton Borough Council.

Should the Plan be found sound, the original submission surrendered a partial review will begin within six months of adoption.

It was confirmed in a recent appeal decision that the housing need figure for Central Bedfordshire calculated using the standardised methodology is not accurate and is therefore expected to decrease in number when the next update of these figures is published.

Luton

On 7th November 2017, Luton Borough Council adopted the Luton Local Plan (2011-2031).

Luton originally intended to progress a new Local Plan in 2019 with submission in 2021, at this point in time no steps have been made to progress with this review. Luton Council envisage that a new Local Development Scheme will be published in Summer 2020.

LEICESTERSHIRE

Things you need to know:

• Leicester City’s emerging un-met of need announced February 2020; the City declared a figure of some 7,813 dwellings. This will pave the way for many other Local Authorities to progress
• Rutland Pre-submission Local Plan Review Consultation – delayed further as a result of Covid 19.
• Wetstone Pastures Farm in Blaby District awarded Garden Village status, yet the site has no planning status and will likely form a potential future allocation within the next Plan review.

Blaby District

The Council adopted the Blaby Core Strategy in February 2013 (Local Plan Part 1) and the Local Plan Delivery Document (Local Plan Part 2) was adopted on 4th February 2019.

Blaby District Council held a Call for Sites from 25th March 2019 - 7th May 2019 for a new Local Plan, and an Issues and Options Consultation ran ended 30th September 2019. The publication version of the Local Plan is expected September 2020, it is yet to be determined if Covid 19 will delay this process.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Blaby will be required to help meet the unmet need of Leicester City Council in future plans. Leicester City Council have declared (February 2020) a figure for the unmet need of 7,813 dwellings to be distributed through agreement with surrounding authorities.

Whetstone Pastures Farm which is located next to the M1 (Junction 20a) has been awarded Garden Village status by the National Government. This future development is anticipated to deliver circa 3,500, 4 million square feet of warehousing, schools, healthcare and shops.

Harborough District

Harborough adopted a new Local Plan on 30th April 2019.

Under the Policy IMR1 of the adopted Local Plan the Council will be required to review the Local Plan through:

• Commencement of a full or partial update of the Local Plan within six months of the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding or Statement of Common Ground on how to apportion unmet need from Leicester City should there be a significantly greater amount of housing/economic development needed in the district.
• Where the above is not adopted, the Council will conduct a full or partial review of the Local Plan within 12 months of the date of publication of Leicester City’s Local Plan Regulation 19 consultation, providing that it is accompanied by robust evidence of unmet housing need

A Call for Sites Consultation is expected Spring 2020 and will request a re-submission of all sites. It is unclear if this will be delayed as a result of Covid 19.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Harborough will be required to help meet the unmet need of Leicester City Council in future plans. Leicester City Council have declared (February 2020) a figure for the unmet need of 7,813 dwellings to be distributed through agreement with surrounding authorities.

North West Leicestershire

The North West Leicestershire Local Plan was adopted 21st November 2017. Policy S1 of the plan says that we would start a review within three months of adoption. That review is now underway in two parts – a partial review which seeks to solely amend Policy S1 and a substantive review taking into account changes that have occurred since adoption.

The emerging Local Plan Partial Review was submitted for examination on 18th February 2020. Louise Gibbons BA(Hons) MRTPI has been appointed as the inspector. The examination hearings were due to open on 12th May 2020 and adoption of the Local Plan Partial review anticipated late 2020, however this is likely to be delayed as a result of Covid 19.

The substantive Local Plan Review has also commenced. Notably, this has included an Issues consultation was held between February and April 2018, a Call For Sites, and an emerging Options Consultation which ran November 2018 to January 2019.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

North West Leicestershire will be required to help meet the unmet need of Leicester City Council in future plans. Leicester City Council have declared (February 2020) a figure for the unmet need of 7,813 dwellings to be distributed through agreement with surrounding authorities.

Rutland

A Local Plan Review being undertaken by Rutland. A Draft (Regulation 18) consultation concluded July 2017 and an interim consultation on the inclusion of St Georges MOD site and re-distribution of growth closed September 2018.

Initial discussion on the Pre-Submission Local Plan were held at Full Council on 27th January 2020, this session reconvened at Full Council on Monday 10th February 2020 where the council approved the plan for its Regulation 19 Consultation. However, the Council have now confirmed that this consultation will be postponed until further notice as a result of Covid 19. Adoption of this plan is currently timetabled for early 2021.

Charnwood

The adopted Local Plan for Charnwood Borough comprises the Charnwood Local Plan 2011 to 2028 Core Strategy adopted 9th November 2019.

Charnwood Borough Council published the Draft Charnwood Local Plan 2019-36 which was consulted on from 4th November 2019 until 16th December 2019. The Local Development Scheme indicates that they intend to submit the Plan by June 2020, with examination hearings in August 2020 and adoption by 2020. This timetable seems very ambitious and is unlikely to be adhered to given the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Hinkley and Bosworth

The adopted Local Plan for Hinckley and Bosworth comprises the Local Plan 2006 to 2026 which consists of the Core Strategy (adopted December 2009) and the Site Allocations & Development Management Policies (adopted July 2016).

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council published their New Directions for Growth Consultation which ran from 7th January 2019 until 3rd March 2019 for a new Local Plan 2016-2036. The Draft Local Plan was expected to be published early 2020, with Pre-submission May-July 2020, although this is likely to be pushed back as a result of Covid 19.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Melton

The Melton Local Plan 2011-2036 was adopted 10th October 2018.

There is no identified emerging Local Plan for Melton Borough.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Leicester City

Leicester City Core Strategy was adopted July 2014.

The emerging Draft Local Plan for Leicester City was published for consideration for the Council’s Special Meeting on 19th February 2020. As part of the emerging Draft Local Plan, Leicester City Council have declared a figure of some 7,813 dwellings unmet need to be distributed through agreement with surrounding authorities. The recommendations were to approve public consultation which was anticipated for March 2020, although this has been pushed back as a result of Covid 19.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

Oadby and Wigston

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council New Local Plan was adopted 16th April 2019.

There is no identified emerging Local Plan for Oadby and Wigston.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan sets out the aspirations for delivering growth in Leicester and Leicestershire up to 2050. The Plan is non-statutory but will be used as a basis for preparing or reviewing future Local Plans. A final draft was approved by the members’ advisory group preparing the plan and Local Councils (December 2018).

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Things you need to know:

• Unitary merger to form ‘North Northamptonshire’ planned for East Northants, Corby Kettering and Wellingborough from April 2021.
• Unitary merger to form ‘West Northamptonshire’ planned for Daventry District, South Northamptonshire and Northampton Borough scheduled for April 2021.
• West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy review underway.
• North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy review - Regulation 18 consultation scheduled to begin Summer 2021.