Get ready for consultation on draft Local Plan in early 2018
Residents and businesses will soon be invited to have their say on the key principles that will underpin a new draft Local Plan for St Albans District.
They will be given the opportunity to comment on plans for long-term land use in the District covering the period 2020 to 2036. This will include being asked for views on the approach needed to identify land for development and what that land will be used for.
The consultation is due to start in January 2018 and feedback will be used to prepare a new draft Local Plan.
Households will be sent a consultation document on the draft Local Plan that includes a questionnaire inviting views on where development should happen. Opinions will also be sought on the sorts of homes that should be built and the infrastructure needed to support development. The consultation document will include a weblink to information on the Local Plan and a video explaining what it means for the District.
On Tuesday 7 November, St Albans City and District Council’s Planning Policy Committee discussed and agreed the steps needed to present a consultation document for consideration to Cabinet on Thursday 23 November.
The Council is required to produce a Local Plan to provide overarching policies and principles for long-term development in the District. The Plan will be used to manage growth to meet the need for housing, employment and the supporting infrastructure, including roads and schools.
The Government has proposed a standard way of assessing housing need for the District. Using this proposed methodology, the new draft Local Plan will need to seek land for 913 new homes to be built each year between 2020 and 2036. It will also need to provide for supporting infrastructure, such as schools.
Councillor Mary Maynard, Portfolio Holder for Planning for St Albans City and District Council, said: “The Council is actively progressing discussions with other South West Hertfordshire Councils on cross-border and common issues. We are also working with all Councils across Hertfordshire on the implications of development for our infrastructure. However, our residents’ views and opinions are vital to ensuring we develop a Local Plan that works for everyone in the District. I would urge everyone to get involved and give their view.”
Cllr David Yates, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on planning, said: “In our response to the proposed method for calculating housing numbers in the Government’s current planning consultation, we said that “adding ‘demand’ to ‘demographic need’ and calling the resulting figure ‘need’ is both an inappropriate approach and fundamentally misleading”.
“Nonetheless, both meeting the actual need for housing and resolving the problem of affordability mean that we have some tough choices to make. It is vital that we make these choices knowing the views of residents.”
Cllr Iain Grant, Labour group spokesperson on planning, said: “The Local Plan is our chance to shape where development happens and to ensure that it delivers what we need – the right kind of homes and job opportunities, with the services, schools and other infrastructure to support them. This consultation is a chance for everyone to give their views on that.”
A webcast of the Planning Policy Committee is available on the Council’s website at as well as the agenda and supporting papers for the meeting.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Mary Maynard
Portfolio Holder for Planning,
St Albans City and District Council,
Tel: 01582 620801
Email: Cllr.M.Maynard@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
Email: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StAlbansCouncil