Calendar showing 4 August

Two weeks left to have your say on modifications to the local plan

Follow this link to go directly to the consultation web page.

There are only two weeks left for people in the county to have their say on modifications to the Northumberland Local Plan.

The plan is currently subject to a six-week consultation on some proposed main modifications – and this will close at 5pm on Wednesday 4 August.

Part of the formal ‘examination’ by Government appointed planning inspectors, this consultation is expected to be the final stage before the Northumberland Local Plan can be formally ‘adopted’.

The proposed modifications include some technical matters and some changes that have already been proposed by the council during the Government inspection process.

The main modification which have been identified by the inspectors are:
  • removing the safeguarded land allocation for employment at Prestwick Pit near Ponteland and retaining this as Green Belt; 
  • proposing substantial planting around the boundaries of employment sites that will be released from the Green Belt at Harwood Meadows, Prestwick Park and Prestwick Pit; and 
  • a commitment to undertake an early update of the plan in relation to assessment of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and the justification for protected open space sites.
In addition to these main modifications the council is also inviting comments on the following:
  • A schedule of proposed modifications to the Local Plan Policies Map
  • Sustainability Appraisal of the Main Modifications and Policies Map changes
  • Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Main Modifications and Policies Map changes
  • Additional evidence published by the Council through the examination since the last consultation held during July to September 2020.
Full details of the consultation and how people can have their say is available at www.northumberland.gov.uk/localplan

Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member responsible for planning at Northumberland County Council said: “This is the final opportunity to have a say on the issues being consulted on at this time,  and I urge people to take this opportunity, should they wish to.

“We are at the very final stages of securing a full local plan for Northumberland, and I very much look forward to getting it finalised and adopted, and for it to begin to drive the sort of positive future that we want to see for our county.”

All comments on the consultation documents will be passed to the  inspectors for their consideration,  following which the lead inspector will set out her final conclusions on the soundness of the plan.

Once it is found to be ‘sound’ it can be formally adopted by the Council and then used to assess planning applications and guide the location of future development in the county up to 2036.

Follow this link to go directly to the consultation web page.

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