Published on Wednesday 10 July 2024
BCP Council has submitted its Draft BCP Local Plan for independent examination.
This first Draft BCP Local Plan sets out the council’s ambitious strategy for growth over the next 15 years. It allocates sites for 24,000 new homes and 72 hectares of employment land, along with detailed planning policies which will guide decision making for all future development. It also includes 33 individual ward policies, which all BCP Councillors have had the opportunity to help shape and develop.
Following a six-week consultation earlier this year, BCP Council collated all responses and submitted these to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing on 27 June 2024. Two independent Planning Inspectors will now consider these documents and determine whether the Draft Local Plan is sound and legally compliant.
Local Plans are documents prepared by local planning authorities in consultation with their community, which set out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area. Before a local plan can be formally adopted and brought into use, it must be subject to an ‘independent examination’ by an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.
The process of independent examination is expected to take 12 months, with an ambition for BCP Council to adopt its first Local Plan for the area in 2025.
The council’s Planning Policy and Consultation teams have undertaken significant engagement with residents, businesses, community groups, planning agents, developers, young people and ward councillors in developing this draft BCP Local Plan since 2019.
BCP Council has also submitted its Draft BCP Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule alongside its Draft BCP Local Plan. The CIL Charging Schedule was also consulted on earlier this year for a period of six weeks.
Cllr Margaret Phipps, Lead Member for Local Plan Delivery, said: "The Draft BCP Local Plan provides a clear and sustainable vision for our area, whilst recognising and valuing the heritage of all three towns.
“We consider the Draft BCP Local Plan and CIL Charging Schedule to be sound, however it is right that we acknowledge that following feedback from recent consultations, concerns have been raised with some elements of the Plan.
“BCP Council values the consultation process and the time taken by residents, businesses and wider statutory stakeholders to give us their opinions. These views will be considered by the Independent Planning Inspectors during the extensive examination process, and we’ll be working closely with the Independent Planning Inspectors to consider whether modifications are needed to the plan to address some of the concerns raised.”
Up to date information on the submitted Local Plan - including the dates of public hearings when available – can be found at BCP Local Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) | BCP (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)
Cllr Margaret Phipps, added: “The submission of the Draft BCP Local Plan for examination by the Secretary of State is the culmination of a number of years of work by the Planning Policy Team alongside three detailed public consultations. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to take part in the consultation process or chat with us at one of our information events.”
Where to inspect the Local Plan submission documents
Where to inspect the CIL submission documents
Draft CIL charging schedule consultation and additional information: Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) draft charging schedule | Have Your Say Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)
Evidence base to support Draft BCP Local Plan: Evidence base for the local plan | BCP (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)