Regulation 18 draft Local Plan

Foreword to Reg 18 Local Plan

A local plan is an important document for any local council. It guides developers on where the council expects development to take place and makes sure councils can meet their housing targets laid down by Government. A local plan is far more than this, though. It sets out policies the council wants to adopt to guide development; policies on matters such as housing design, the environment, location of employment land, open spaces, renewable energy and more.

Local plans go through many iterations before they are submitted to an independent inspector for examination prior to the council adopting the plan. They must satisfy the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework and must be supported by robust evidence and be viable (i.e., the houses have to be financially deliverable and still make a profit for the developer). A non-viable plan will not be approved by the independent inspector. In this Local Plan which we are now publishing for consultation in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 we are setting out our initial proposals for housing development and associated policies to cover a period till 2041. All responses we receive will be considered. This version can change as a result of this consultation so I urge everyone in Rutland to have their say.

Councillor Gale Waller

Leader

Rutland County Council

Rutland Local Plan – Preferred Options Consultation November 2023