BCP Council has published its keenly anticipated Local Plan Issues and Options Document for the purposes of consultation. BCP Council have allowed eight weeks for responses (closing 7th March 2022).
Brett Spiller, Direct at Chapman Lily Planning commented ‘This is a major milestone, being the first expression of the new Council’s aspirations for the area since the merger of the three legacy authorities. The issues and options cover a vast array of topics and the outcome of the consultation will shape the future social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the region’.
BCP Council has also updated the underpinning evidence base, notably the Local Housing Market Assessment. This is accompanied by two further documents; the first is a ‘sensitivity report’ and the second a ‘Review of Housing Need: Examining Demographics and Testing the Standard Method in BCP and Dorset’. The latter document states: ‘It is considered that there are exceptional circumstances in BCP that would point to a strong case for a housing number substantially lower than the Standard Method. Put simply, since the 2014 SNHP were published, average net migration to BCP has fallen compared with the level projected in the 2014-based SNPP (by an average of 1,849 people per annum in the period to 2020). In conclusion their modelling ‘… suggests a household growth of 1,172 per annum across BCP which when adjusted for local affordability results in a capped housing need for 1,580 dwellings per annum’, a significant reduction on the Standard Method.
Brett added, ‘Whilst housing numbers only presents a small part of the emerging plan, the figures will be of significant interest to many of our clients in BCP, Dorset and further afield owing to the duty to co-operate. The consultation is your opportunity to comment on the emerging policies that will ultimately be used to determine future planning applications – so I would encourage all those in the development community to have their say. There are some interesting options for tourism and the release of poorly performing hotels and isolated employment sites, as well as some suggestions that policies around non-designated heritage assets could be tightened’.
We would be delighted to assist you in making comments and promoting your landholdings in BCP, please contact us for more information.
