New Forest District Council has published a set of Local Plan updates through its August cabinet meeting, including the Issues and Scope consultation summary and a new Local Development Scheme that sets out trajectory for the Local Plan Review moving forward. The documents detail the Council’s commitment to undertake a spatial options consultation, as the second Regulation 18 stage, during early Winter 2025, with the full Local Plan Review now programmed for adoption in Winter 2027. This spatial options consultation focuses on high-level maps, with limited, if any, preference on any one area. In terms of policy direction, a spatial options Local Plan consultation includes the emerging themes and principles that will shape the Local Plan, but at this stage the Council will not have finalised policies and will instead be seeking feedback on the direction they should take.
“The publication of these cabinet documents represents a significant milestone in the Local Plan Review process and provides valuable insight into the Council’s strategic planning approach over the next thirty months,” states Jonathan Leigh, Associate Director at Chapman Lily Planning. “With the spatial options consultation scheduled for early Winter 2025, landowners and developers now have clarity on the key window for influencing site selection and policy direction. The extended timeline to Winter 2027 for adoption also confirms that there will be no meaningful change in the district’s housing position for at least twenty-nine to thirty months, which has important implications for development strategy and site promotion activities during this period.”
Call us for more information on how Chapman Lily Planning can help promote your land through the Local Plan Review process. We offer tailored advice on development potential, policy alignment, and stakeholder engagement to maximise opportunities within New Forest District’s evolving planning framework.
