Northumberland Local Plan

The Northumberland local plan is a collection of documents containing planning policies used to assess applications and guide the location of future development in the county.

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Northumberland Local Plan

A Local Plan document is currently being prepared by the Council. It will include the planning policies that will be used to guide and determine future planning applications in Northumberland, detail the scale and distribution of new development and include land allocations and designations.

**Local Plan latest news**

The Northumberland Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 29 May 2019 and is currently undergoing examination.

The appointed Inspectors have now considered all written representations received, and have had regard to matters raised during a series of public examination hearings held during 2019 and 2020. The Inspectors have concluded that while the draft plan as submitted is not sound, it is likely that it can be made sound by modifications.

A public consultation on the proposed main modifications to the Local Plan is taking place over a period of 8 weeks between Wednesday 9 June 2021 and Wednesday 4 August 2021. Comments are also being invited on a number of supporting documents and additional evidence document.

Links to the consultation documents and information on how to respond to the consultation can be found by clicking on the link below. Up-to-date information and documents relating to the examination can be found on the examination webpage.
Following the submission of the Northumberland Local Plan for independent examination May 2019, the appointed Inspectors have considered all written representations received, and have had regard to matters raised during a series of public examination hearings held during 2019 and 2020. The Inspectors have concluded that while the draft plan as submitted is not sound, it is likely that it can be made sound by modifications.

The Inspectors have now requested that the Council consults on a Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications which they consider are necessary to ensure the soundness of the plan. This consultation runs from Wednesday 9 June 2021 until 5pm on Wednesday 4 August 2021.
In addition to the Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications, comments are also being invited on some other documents as explained below.

Guidance notes and frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be viewed using the links below: Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications
The proposed main modifications, along with the reasons for them, are set out in the Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications.  A tracked changes version of the Regulation 19 Publication Draft Plan showing proposed main modifications as well as further additional changes has been prepared so all of the proposed changes can be seen in context. This document is provided for information only with details relating to the proposed main modifications and additional changes, including the reasons for the changes, set out in separate schedules.  
Other documents being consulted upon
In addition to the Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications, comments are also invited on the following:  
Schedule of additional changes
As well as the main modifications, the Council is proposing 'additional changes' to the Local Plan which do not materially affect the meaning or substance of the Plan or its overall soundness. These proposed additional changes relate to points of clarification, factual updates and typographical or grammatical errors. The reasons for making the changes are set out in the schedule. They are set out in this document for completeness and for information only. Comments are not invited in relation to these additional changes.
 
How to provide your comments
Comments on the proposed main modifications to the plan should be submitted using the form below: *Please read the guidance notes before submitting comments in response to this consultaton.
Comments should:
  • Relate only to the proposed Main Modifications in the schedule, and not other parts of the plan.
  • Not repeat any previously submitted comments as these are already before the Inspectors.
  • Clearly reference which of the proposed main modifications they relate to.
Completed response forms can be submitted by:
  • Email to - PlanningStrategy@northumberland.gov.uk;
  • Post to - Planning Policy, Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF. 
Comments on any of the consultation documents can be submitted by e-mail by post using the details above.
Comment must be received during the consultation period, which runs from Wednesday 9 June 2021 until 5pm on Wednesday 4 August 2021.
 
Viewing paper copies 
While the Council would encourage you to access the consultation documents online, it recognises that not everyone will have the means to access the documents in this way. Officers will be available to explain the consultation by telephone or e-mail (contact details below), and a USB memory stick containing the full set of consultation and associated information documents, or paper copies of particular documents as appropriate can be provided and sent by post.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed difficulties on Local Planning Authorities physically making copies of documents available for inspection at libraries and Customer Information Centres. However, in accordance with the amended Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and subject to Covid-19 secure safety guidelines, hard copies of the consultation documents can also be viewed, by prior appointment only, at the main reception at County Hall. To make an appointment, please call 01670 620003 or 01670 620004.
 
Next Steps
All comments relating to the consultation documents will be passed to the Inspectors for their consideration.  Final conclusions on the soundness of the Plan will be set out in the Inspectors’ Report. If the Local Plan is found 'sound' subject to necessary modifications, it can be formally adopted by the Council. 
 
How to contact us
Members of the Planning Policy Team are available to help deal with any queries on the Local Plan, this consultation and requests for copies of the documents. Please contact us by email at PlanningStrategy@northumberland.gov.uk or by telephone on 0345 600 6400.
 
The Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 29 May 2019 and is currently undergoing independent examination.

Susan Heywood is the inspector appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out the examination and Stephen Normington has been appointed to assist with the examination of Chapter 13 (Managing Natural Resources) of the Local Plan. 
 
The inspector’s role is to determine whether or not the Local Plan is sound and complies with all the relevant legal requirements. In making this assessment, the inspector will take into account all the representations that were made on the Publication Draft of the Northumberland Local Plan.

Main modifications consultation
Following the close of the examination hearings, the Inspector has now written to the Council to confirm that whilst she considers the submitted Local Plan not to be sound, it is likely that it can be made sound by modifications. Click here to view the Inspector’s post hearings letter (dated 24 February 2021).

A public consultation on the proposed main modifications to the Local Plan is taking place over a period of 8 weeks between Wednesday 9 June 2021 and Wednesday 4 August 2021.Comments are also being invited on a number of supporting documents and additional evidence documents.

Links to the consultation documents and information on how to respond to the consultation can be viewed by clikcing on the link below:
Phase 2 examination hearings
A second phase of hearings took place 'virtually' in October and November 2020. These hearings covered the parts of the plan not considered in either the Phase 1 hearings or Chapter 13 hearings as well as matters outstanding from Phase 1. Phase 1 examination hearings
Phase 1 of the examination hearings took place in October 2019 and February 2020. A consultation on the additional evidence requested by the Inspector as a result of those hearing sessions took place between 13 July 2020 and 7 September 2020. The responses submitted were collated and forwarded to the Inspector ahead of the Phase 2 Hearings. A further consultation will take place after the Phase 2 examination hearings on all 'Main Modifications' which the Inspector considers are required to ensure the soundness of the plan.

Chapter 13 examination hearings
The hearing sessions for Chapter 13 (Managing Natural Resources) took place in February 2020. A consultation on main modifications will take place after the completion of the Phase 2 examination hearings.
Further information on the Local Plan examination
Up-to-date information and documents relating to the examination, including the programme for the hearing sessions, can be found on the dedicated examination website.
The Northumberland Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communites and Local Government for independent examination on 29 May 2019. Click here to view the submission notice.

The submission plan comprises the Northumberland Local Plan Publication Draft as amended by the proposed minor modifications. Links to the above Local Plan documents and supporting documents can be viewed by clicking on the link below. The documents include the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Statement of Consultation, evidence documents and copies of representations received in response to the Publication Draft Local Plan.
Next steps
An independent examination of the Local Plan will now take place. Up-to-date information and documents relating to the examination can be found on the examination website.
Representations on the 'Publication Draft' Local Plan were invited from 30 January 2019 to 13 March 2019 . The period for representations has now closed. The comments submitted are in the process of being logged and processed. All comments, including those submitted by email or as a paper copy, will be added to the consultation portal website. The representations will be reviewed prior to the proposed submission of the Local Plan for independent examination in May 2019. Local Plan documents
How to make comments
The period for making comments (30 January 2019 to 13 March 2019) has now closed. The comments submitted are in the process of being logged and processed. All comments, including those submitted by email or as a paper copy, will be added to the consultation portal website.
 
Drop-in sessions
During February and March 2019 a number of drop-in sessions were held across Northumberland to allow people to find out more about the Local Plan and how to provide their comments. The drop-in sessions included a small exhibition aimed at providing an overview of the Local Plan with staff involved in the preparation of the Local Plan present to help answer any questions. The display material can be viewed by clicking on the links below:
Compliance documents
The Publication Draft Local Plan is accompanied by a number of 'compliance' documents, which can be viewed below.
 
Evidence base and other supporting documents
A number of background and research studies have been undertaken to help support and inform the preparation of the Local Plan. These studies and reports can be viewed on the following page on our website: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Planning-policy/Reports.aspx.

Monitoring and implementation framework
The Monitoring and Implementation Framework sets out the main indicators that will be used to monitor the delivery and effectiveness of the objectives and planning policies in the Local Plan.
There will be opportunities to provide us with your comments at each of the key stages in the preparation of the Local Plan. If you would like to be notified of any relevant Local Plan consultations and be kept up-to-date with progress you can add your name to our database by either: Further information on how the council will involve local people in preparing the Local Plan can be found in the Statement of Community Involvement document.
A summary of the main dates for the preparation of the Local Plan are summarised below:
  • Initial consultation - 28 March 2018 to 2 May 2018 (Complete)
  • Consultation on draft Local Plan - 4 July 2018 to 15 August 2018 (Complete)
  • Publication - 30 January 2019 to 13 March 2019 (Period for representations now closed)
  • Submission - May 2019 (Submitted on 29 May 2019)
  • Examination hearings - September 2019 (Phase 1 of the hearings took place in October 2019 and February 2020; Hearings for Chapter 13 (Managing natural resources) were held in early February 2020; and the Phase 2 of examination hearings took place in October and November 2020)
  • Adoption - September 2021
The full timetable for the preparation of the viewed in the Local Development Scheme document.

In addition a separate Local Plan document in relation to Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation will be prepared. The main dates for the preparation of this document are summarised below:
  • Consultation on draft plan - June 2022 to August 2022
  • Publication - October 2022
  • Submission - February 2023
  • Examination hearings - July 2023
  • Adoption - December 2023
Consultation on a draft of the Northumberland Local Plan took place between 4 July 2018 and Wednesday 15 August 2018.

The comments received are currently being processed. We will consider all comments received in response to this consultation, and together with updated any evidence, they will be used to inform the ‘Publication Draft’ Local Plan where appropriate. This version of the Local Plan will be subject to public consultation in January 2019 before it is submitted for independent examination in May 2019.

 
Consultation document
Drop-in sessions
During the consultation a number of drop-in sessions were held across Northumberland to allow people to find out more about the consultation and how to provide their comments. The drop-in sessions included a small exhibition with staff involved in the preparation of the Local Plan present to help answer any questions.

Click here to view the details of the dates, times and venues of drop-in sessions for this consultation.

The display material can be viewed by clicking on the links below:
Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment
The draft Local Plan is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal Report and a Habitats Regulations Assessment and can be viewed below.
 
Evidence base and other supporting documents
A number of background and research studies have been undertaken to help support and inform the preparation of the Local Plan. These studies and reports can be viewed on the following page on our main website: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Planning-policy/Reports.aspx.
A consultation to capture views on preferred strategic locations for housing and employment development and the big issues that the new Local Plan for Northumberland should seek to address took place between 28 March 2018 and 2 May 2018. The consultation took the form of an Online Spatial Survey.

Consultation feedback

This consultation provided some initial feedback on the key issues the Local Plan should consider and captured views on the broad strategic locations for both housing development and employment development. Along with the findings from various evidence base studies, the responses from this consultation have helped to inform a draft of the Local Plan.

A feedback report has been prepared to provide an overview of the consultation and a summary of the responses received in reply. View the Spring 2018 Consultation Feedback Report.
To help inform preparation of the new Northumberland Local Plan, residents, landowners, developers, agents and other interested parties were invited to put forward sites for potential development allocations in the Plan as part of a 'call for sites' consultation.

The consultation closed on 12 March 2018 and all of the submissions received have been assessed. This has informed the site selection process for site allocations in the emerging Local Plan and the updated Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) and five year housing land supply analysis. Updated SHLAA and five year housing land supply analysis was published in December 2018, which can be found on the studies and evidence page our website - https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Reports.aspx.
Sustainability Appriasal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are processes that must be carried out alongside the preparation of the Northumberland Local Plan. The purpose is to promote sustainable development by appraising the extent to which the policies and proposals in the emerging Local Plan would achieve environmental, social and economic objectives.

SA Report for Local Plan Submission
This SA Report has been prepared to accompany the submission of the Local Plan for examination. It is an updated version of the SA Report that was published and consulted upon alongside the Publication Draft Local Plan. The revised version takes account of the responses received and also appraises the proposed minor modifications.

SA Report for Regulation 19 Publication Draft Local Plan
This SA Report has been prepared to accompany the Publication Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19). It appraises the likely effects of the Local Plan and the reasonable alternatives as well as giving consideration to mitigating adverse effects.

SA Report for Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan
An Interim SA report was prepared alongside the Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan. It appraises the likely effects of the policies and proposal in the Draft Local Plan and the reasonable alternatives as well as giving consideration to mitigating adverse effects. Comments on the Interim SA REport were invited between 4 July 2018 and 15 August 2018.

Scoping stage
The preparation of a Scoping Report was the first stage in the SA/SEA process. This stage involved collecting baseline information on the environmental, social and economic conditions in the Local Plan area and developing the sustainability objectives that will provide the basis of appraising the emerging Local Plan.
Comments were invited on a draft of the SA Scoping Report between 28 March 2018 and 2 May 2018 and the comments received were used to inform the SA objectives and SA framework used to appraise the emerging Northumberland Local Plan as well as establishing whether the baseline information and issues identified were relevant. 
The purpose of the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is to assess the possible effects of the Local Plan on the nature conservation interests of sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Ramsar sites.
Northumberland Coastal Mitigation Service Strategy Document
We have been working with Natural England to review the approach to the assessment and management of impacts arising from new development on specially protected sites on the Northumberland Coast. This document introduces a strategic scheme funded by developers, and implemented by the Council, that will enable mitigation to be provided within the designated sites themselves, in a consistent manner along the whole of the Northumberland Coast.
Planning Policy Team aims to be transparent and provide accessible information to individuals about how their personal data will be used through a privacy notice. A copy of our privacy notice is available HERE.
A Duty to Cooperate Statement of Common Ground has been prepared to accompany the Regulation 19 Publication Draft Local Plan. It sets out the strategic issues relevant to Northumberland and details the ongoing engagement that has, and continues, to take place between Northumberland County Council (NCC), neighbouring authorities and prescribed bodies. The statement is a live document reflecting the progress of discussions that have taken place up to December 2018 and will be updated for the submission of the Local Plan for examination in May 2019.
Links to the Duty to Cooperate Statement that was prepared to accompany the Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan consultation are provided below:
The Northumberland Core Strategy was submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for independent examination on 7 April 2017.

At the Council meeting on 5 July 2017, Northumberland County Council agreed to formally withdraw the Core Strategy from the independent examination process. A Statement of Withdrawal, Frequently Asked Questions and Papers from the Council Meeting can be viewed accordingly.

Following a review, the Council has agreed that a full Local Plan document will be prepared and the Council will no longer be proceeding with the Core Strategy as well as the proposed Delivery Document.
In November 2017 the Council received a letter from the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government regarding the potential for Government intervention in the process to prepare the Northumberland Local Plan.
The Council made a full response in line with the deadline set by Government.  The response letter and related correspondence can be viewed below: The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government wrote to the council on 23 March 2017 to confirm there are no plans intervene or take further action at the present time. This is subject to the timetable in the Local Development Scheme being amended to produce the plan earlier and to be clearer about the dates for the key milestones by identifying specific months.  The council is currently reviewing the Local Development Scheme to take into account the recommendations of the Secretary of State. A revised Local Development Scheme will be published in due course. 

Statement of Community Involvement

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out the Council’s commitments on involving local people and businesses in preparing the Local Plan and informing and consulting them on planning applications.

Click here to view the Statement of Community Involvement document.

Some of the restrictions that have been put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have meant that we have had to review how we engage with local people and businesses. An addendum to be read in conjunction with the SCI has been prepared to reflect the temporary approaches put in place to reflect the current circumstances.
 
Click here to view the addendum to the Statement of Community Involvement (updated 6 August 2020).

Local Development Scheme

The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the broad timetable for the preparation of the Northumberland Local Plan, including the dates for key consultations and the adoption of the final document.

Click here to view Local Development Scheme 2021-2024 (March 2021)

This version of the Local Development Scheme supersedes the version published in June 2020. It has been amended to recognise that the Council  will be undertaking an early and partial update of the Local Plan in so far as it relates to open space, sport and recreation and sites allocated as 'Protected Open Space'. A previous amendment to the Local Development Scheme was made to recognise the Council are now going to prepare a separate Local Plan document on Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation. The adoption date for the Local Plan has also been amended to take account of its ongoing examination.

Supplementary Planning Documents

The Council is proposing to prepare the following Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) to provide additional guidance on the proposed policies in the Northumberland Local Plan and advice to assist in considering and determining planning applications:

  • Affordable Housing
  • Design
  • Highways and Transportation Design and Delivery
  • Hot Food Takeaway
  • Planning Obligations
  • Renewable Energy
Existing adopted Supplementary Planning Documents
There are also existing adopted Supplementary Planning Documents, which can be viewed using the links in the Consolidated Planning Policy Framework.
Consultation on scoping documents for a proposed Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and a proposed Planning Obligations SPD is taking place until 5pm on 6 November 2019. Further information can be found using the links below:
Comments were invited on scoping documents for a Northumberland Design Guide SPD and a Highways and Transportation Design and Delivery SPD from 30 January 2019 to 13 March 2019. The consultation documents can be viewed by clicking on the links below.

Annual Monitoring Report

The Council carries out regular monitoring to help understand how well the current planning policies are working. Monitoring is important to help inform the preparation of the planning policies and decisions on planning applications.

Click here to view more information on monitoring.

Quick Links

Further information:

> Current Planning Policies
> Studies & Evidence Reports
> Neighbourhood Planning
> Self and Custom Build Register
> Local Development Orders
> Community Infrastructure Levy
> Contact the Planning Policy Team

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