28/08/2026
This evening, the Planning Policy Committee will be asked to vote on whether the Council should formally request a two-month extension from the Government to the Local Plan submission deadline.
This is to allow all Councillors more time within the process, in response to their requests, to familiarise themselves with the evidence base and the Plan documents before making decisions.
The deadline has been set at 31 December 2026, so if granted, this extension would take us to 26 February 2027. A shorter extension of one month was also considered, but two months was judged a suitable recommendation to make sure residents and Members have a full opportunity to have an informed say before submission.
No decision has yet been made. The Committee will consider whether to take this action on the basis of the report and recommendation before them.
Over the coming weeks, we will continue to work to the Government’s set deadline in order to get a Local Plan in place which can help protect our district from inappropriate development. To further aid councillors in considering the draft Local Plan and its accompanying evidence alongside their other work, the September Planning Policy Committee will be postponed from 10th to 16th September. This is to provide an additional week’s preparation and reading time.
These are public meetings. If you would like to watch, please be aware that there is limited space in the room, but you can also watch via webcast - just head to YouTube, find the channel, click on it and hit 'Live'.
Should the extension request be submitted, we will need to continue with the current timetable until and if the Government responds positively. Officers are working hard to finalise the evidence base and the Regulation 19 draft. We will keep you updated.