Council set for extraordinary meeting to determine Local Plan Adoption

After eight rounds of public and stakeholder consultation since 2015 and following the independent Planning Inspectorate carrying out an Examination in Public, the Bassetlaw Local Plan (with the Inspector’s main modifications) was found to be sound and capable of adoption.

This would fulfil the Council’s legal duty to have an adopted local plan and supports the Government’s target of every local authority having an up-to-date adopted local plan in place.

The Bassetlaw Local Plan will guide the delivery of sustainable housing and employment, supported by new infrastructure, across the district over the next 14 years. Adopting the plan will bring several important benefits to communities across the district, including:

§ Ensuring planning applications for allocated sites provide for the infrastructure identified in the plan.

§ Protecting communities from speculative development in areas not allocated for development in the plan.

§ Ensuring that an appropriate type and mix of affordable and older people’s housing and infrastructure can be secured and delivered.

§ Strengthening the Council’s ability to protect the countryside from inappropriate development.

Councillors could also choose not to adopt the Bassetlaw Local Plan 2020 – 2038. However, as the Planning Inspectors have found the plan sound, any decision not to adopt the Local Plan would:

§ Be open to judicial review.

§ Put the Council at risk of Government Intervention.

§ Be unlikely to protect sites already allocated in the Local Plan from planning applications.

§ Leave the District vulnerable to speculative applications on sites not in the plan.

Councillor Julie Leigh, Cabinet Member for Identity and Place said:

“The Housing Secretary Michael Gove wrote to all councils this autumn stating that ‘we know that local plans are the best way to ensure the right homes are built in the right places’ and setting out that Government ‘want local authorities to continue adopting ambitious local plans.’ His letter also came with a warning though as he said: ‘I want to reiterate that local authorities without an up-to-date local plan are likely to be subject to the presumption in favour of sustainable development when facing applications.’

“Now that the Bassetlaw Local Plan has been found sound by the independent Planning Inspectors, we can move forwards to adoption, deliver for an ambitious future and help protect against speculative development in Bassetlaw. Over the next 14 years we can plan properly for new housing and employment across the district and crucially, help ensure that vital infrastructure is provided alongside new building.”