Local Plan 2040 Regulation 18 Stage 1 Public Consultation

 

The Council is preparing the next Local Plan for the Borough and is now seeking comments on its first formal draft of strategic policies and proposals.

 

Following two rounds of public consultation undertaken in 2018 and 2020, and building on what our evidence is telling us, this consultation document sets out draft strategic planning priorities for Test Valley supported by a number of strategic policies. 

 

This formal draft is what is known as Regulation 18, in which we are undertaking in two stages. This is the first stage (Stage 1) focussing on strategic matters. Public consultation on the second stage (Stage 2) will take place at the end of this year and will include all draft proposals, such as site allocations and detailed development management policies.

 

The draft Local Plan 2040 will take a number of years to prepare and following this consultation there will be more opportunities for you to have your say. All comments that we receive will be considered in preparing the Local Plan.

 

Consultation Process

 

The Local Plan 2040 Regulation 18 Stage 1 will be out to public consultation for an 8 period running from 11 February 2022 to noon on 8 April 2022.  We have chosen to make the document available for public consultation for 8 weeks to provide greater time for representations to be made.

 

The documents are available on our website at  www.testvalley.gov.uk/localplan2040. Paper copies of the draft Local Plan and supporting documents will be available to view at the Council’s Offices[1] between the hours of 9am and 5pm on Monday to Thursday and 9am and 4.30pm on Fridays. Paper copies will also be available to view at public libraries during their respective opening hours at Andover, Romsey, North Baddesley, Lordshill and Chandlers Ford. If you are unable to access the consultation documents, please contact us to discuss alternative arrangements.

 

In line with the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan we are seeking to reduce the unnecessary use of paper, including in relation to the printing of documents. Therefore, we have not provided a paper copy of the Local Plan 2040 consultation documents to Councillors. However, if you need a paper copy, please get in touch with the Planning Policy and Economic Development Service, using the contact details below.

 

We have prepared a short presentation in the form of a video which provides a summary of the draft Local Plan 2040 for Parish Councils. The video can be viewed via the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/DfyNxpK3cR8. If you have difficulties in accessing this, please contact us. Officers are also attending the Test Valley Association of Parish and Town Councils meeting on 24 February to provide an update on the draft Local Plan.

 

Additionally we are preparing an A4 poster to encourage public participation in the consultation process.  We will be circulating this poster to Parish Councils next week and we would appreciate it if you could place the poster in appropriate locations around your parish. Please do contact us if you would like hard copies to be sent to you.

 

How to Comment

 

Comments on the draft Local Plan should either be:

 

• Submitted using the consultation survey available on the councils website at www.testvalley.gov.uk/localplan2040
• Sent in by filling in the comments form available on the councils website at www.testvalley.gov.uk/localplan2040
• Sent in writing to Planning Policy and Economic Development, Test Valley Borough Council, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3AJ
• Emailed to planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk

 

Please provide your name and either a postal or email address. If you are responding on behalf of someone else, please also provide the name of the individual/organisation. Please note that emails are subject to a maximum 30Mb size limit, above which they will not be received.

 

Only those representations that are made in writing and arrive (in either hard copy or electronically) within the 8 week period starting 11 February 2022 and ending at noon on Friday 8 April 2022 will have the right to have their representations considered. If you respond to this consultation, we will keep you informed of future consultation stages unless you advise us that you want to opt out of such communication.

 

For further information on the Local Plan 2040 Regulation 18 Stage 1 Public consultation, please do contact the Planning Policy and Economic Development Service on 01264 368000 or via email at planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk.