Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has unveiled the first draft of its Local Plan, which will eventually determine which areas are earmarked for different land uses and which are not.

The first round of public consultation runs eight weeks from today until August 14th.

Andrew Fear, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Strategic Planning, said:

This is a very important process because once we have finished the different phases of consultation, the finalised Local Plan will determine how the borough does, and does not, develop up to 2040.

 

There is a range of ideas here for housing and for business sites to create new jobs, as well as for protecting more than 60 green spaces, some of which have been earmarked for development previously.

 

At this stage these are all proposals, so this is the time for residents to help shape the future because what is eventually decided here will influence planning applications for years to come.”

Local Plans are required by Government to earmark land suitable for different types of development and maintain a rolling, minimum five-year supply of housing land.

If a Local Plan doesn’t exist, or the housing supply falls below the minimum requirement, then developers are more likely to gain approval for planning applications for anywhere in the Borough – including areas previously deemed off-limits.

Consultation will be extensive. Once the first, eight-week round ends in August a report on feedback will be taken to Council for public discussion. After the public and elected representatives have had a say, an updated version of the Local Plan will go to a second public consultation.

Finally, in 2024, an independent inspector will examine the plan in light of previous responses and may take further submissions from anyone trying to change it, if they’ve made formal comment earlier in proceedings.

Cllr Fear added:

We are open-minded about which sites are earmarked for a certain use, or for none at all, although we must meet certain levels for housing and employment land.

 

However, wherever possible we do have a preference for redundant, brownfield sites that can be used again, rather than building somewhere for the first time.

 

I would urge everyone to get involved and have a say, because although we have to meet the Government’s requirements we want to do it in a way that maintains local democratic control over our future.”

The consultation page can be found here, along with details of face-to-face consultation meetings, and email submissions can be made to planningpolicy@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk .

Documents can also be viewed at:

• Audley Library, ST7 8DB;
• Clayton Library, ST5 3HW;
• Kidsgrove Library, ST7 1BS;
• Knutton Library, ST5 6EB;
• Loggerheads Library, TF9 4NX;
• Newcastle Library, Castle House, ST5 1BL;
• Silverdale Library, ST5 6LY;
• Talke Library, ST7 1RA.

Written responses can be sent to: Planning Policy, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1BL.