Here is a statement by UDC chief executive Peter Holt on the Local Plan for the district

UDC LOCAL PLAN DELAY

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Uttlesford District Council has announced a pause to its current published local plan timetable.

Cllr Petrina Lees, Leader of the council, said: “It cannot be overstressed how essential it is that our district’s next local plan succeeds in delivering what local people need in way of new and appropriate housing, as well as necessary infrastructure, while at the same time meeting the government’s requirement for housing numbers. The new plan needs to not only positively shape the future growth of our area, but also protect the unique local character of our beautiful and historic district.

“It was hoped that the council would be ready to publish the next local plan draft for review over the next month. I am sorry to have to share that there is more work to be done before that can happen.

“A draft local plan is far too important to rush, and I will settle for publishing nothing less than a document which demonstrates that the district’s draft policies will live up to the standards that our residents deserve, addresses the real infrastructure requirements, and will also meet the technical requirements of the government’s Planning Inspectors.

“Residents are aware that since 2019 UDC has been undertaking a significant improvement programme in its planning capability. To create better outcomes, we have already put in place a number of process and recent team changes, and it will take time for these to bear fruit. We will continue our work on it and will bring forward a new local plan timetable over the coming weeks.

“Notwithstanding the frustration a delay may bring – and I wish to thank everyone who is working so hard on it – we have to get this right. To push forward with an incomplete or incompletely evidenced plan would be reckless. We have a committed team of professional officers and a passionate group of councillors from all parties providing input, oversight and any necessary challenge to the process and who continue to be dedicated to delivering the best for our area.”

Meetings and governance

The next major stage of the local plan is the publication of a detailed draft, and the beginning of a major round of public consultation and engagement. This is known as the ‘Regulation 18’ stage and it will include a clear statement of strategic approach, many chapters detailing specific policies, and options on site allocations to meet the target set by the government of identifying land on which 14,000 new homes can be built in the district over the next 20 years.

For some months, the council has been intending to begin the major round of Regulation 18 public consultation and engagement on 3 November, preceded by a round of formal meetings within the authority. These meetings are now being cancelled and will be replaced by a joint meeting of Local Plan Leadership Group and Local Plan Scrutiny.

At that meeting, councillors will be briefed on the matters in more detail and presented with a new proposed timetable and action plan.

Once agreed, the new timetable will be delivered upon, and progress against it will be overseen and scrutinised regularly by councillors until the new round of meetings is arranged and a new draft local plan is published and considered.