Wealden Local Plan – Direction of Travel Consultation

Status: Closed

The Direction of Travel consultation is the first stage in our engagement process and we are keen to hear your views at this early stage so that we can understand what is important to our communities including residents, businesses, voluntary organisations and Town and Parish Councils, as well as our partner organisations and stakeholders.

Within the consultation document we have identified a number of key planning themes that we know we will need to address in our local plan. These themes include climate change, infrastructure, housing, the economy and employment, town centres, tourism, the natural environment, landscape, heritage and cultural assets, design and health and wellbeing. Under each of these themes we have identified what we think are the key challenges, opportunities and critical planning issues for our district and how these could be included in a new local plan. We also set out some broad growth options for consideration as well.

Throughout our consultation document we ask a series of questions as well as provide an opportunity for you to tell us what you think on each planning theme. All of the responses we receive will be considered and we will use these along with national policy, legislation and guidance to help shape our Local Plan.

 The consultation is running for a period of eight weeks from 9.00am Monday 23^rd November 2020 until midnight on Monday 18^th January 2021.

Results reports:

• Wealden Local Plan - Direction of Travel Consultation
• Local Plan Sub-Committee - Thursday 11th March 2021 Agenda and Minutes

Key findings and changes made:

The Direction of Travel consultation, that took place between 23^rd November 2020 and 18^th January 2021, was the first stage in our Local Plan engagement process. It provided an opportunity for us to hear the views of our communities, partner organisations and stakeholders on a range of important topic areas as to how the district should address the issues and challenges that it faces, accommodate growth and to help us define a vision for our district.

We asked a series of questions as well as provided an opportunity for you to tell us what you think on a range of planning related themes such as climate change, infrastructure, housing, the economy and employment, town centres, tourism, the natural environment, landscape, heritage and cultural assets, design and health and wellbeing. We also provided a number of high-level growth options to comment on.

We received over 1,700 comments to the consultation from 304 respondents. We have now reviewed all comments that we received as part of the consultation and we have provided a consultation summary report.

Our next steps – we will be undertaking evidence gathering and further engagement to help inform and shape the new local plan. The timetable for the production of our local plan is set out in our Local Development Scheme.  This sets out that we will undertake a statutory Regulation 18 consultation on a draft local plan (as currently projected) in spring 2022.

 

Topics covered by this consultation:

Council Business, Leisure, Culture, Voluntary & Community Sector, Children and Young People, Older People, Education & Skills, Local Businesses, Communication & Engagement, Private sector housing, Council housing, Affordable housing, Waste & Recycling, Roads & Transport, Planning, Environment & Sustainability, Economy

Consultation Start Date: 23/11/2020

Consultation End Date: 18/01/2021

Results expected by: 31/03/2021

Please note: these dates are subject to change.

Areas covered by this consultation:

Wealden District (All)

Target audience for this consultation:

Wealden Residents, Wealden Businesses, Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations, Visitors & Tourists, Town and Parish Councils, Partners in the Public Sector, Consultants/Contractors, Key Stakeholders, Local Authorities

Frequency of this consultation: One-off

Methods of consultation used:

Online Survey (All Public), Postal, Email

What Happens Next?

A summary of the responses will be made available following the consultation period. These responses will be fully considered and taken account of when preparing the Plan. There will also be further engagement opportunities to let us know your views.