Published: Friday 05th March 2021 | 12.02pm
At its meeting yesterday, Cabinet approved a new Local Development Scheme (LDS) for the next three years, which informs residents and stakeholders of each stage of the Local Plan review and opportunities to participate. At the same meeting the Cannock Chase Local Plan Preferred Option was also approved for consultation.
The Preferred Option is a non-statutory consultation, it offers an opportunity to consult on emerging proposals and policies that will form the basis of the Draft Plan. There is therefore scope to influence the next stage of the plan. The housing and employment needs to 2038 are set out and locations identified to accommodate development to meet these needs. Due to the urban area being heavily constrained there has been a need to consider sustainable sites within the Green Belt to accommodate development.
Cabinet have agreed to a six week consultation period. It is intended that consultation is carried out between March 2021 and April 2021 on the content of the Preferred Option as well as supporting evidence documents. Consultation will be carried out in accordance with Government Covid-19 guidelines relying on online methods to obtain comments.
Councillor Tony Johnson, Portfolio Leader for Economic Development and Planning said “The Preferred Option outlines the Council’s proposals for meeting our local housing and employment need together with a contribution to meet the housing shortfall in the wider Housing Market Area.
“The Spatial Strategy seeks to meet the needs of the District through focusing on the re-use of brownfield land, supporting our existing settlements and the rejuvenation of our town centres. For the plan period 2018-2038, the strategy will deliver sustainable development focused on addressing issues in the District and ensuring infrastructure is provided to support the growth anticipated. It will safeguard our natural and historic assets and assist in the delivery of the Council’s ambition for the District to be carbon neutral by 2030, ahead of the government's target date of 2050.”
“The LDS represents the Council’s 3 year project plan and details the main stages of the preparation of the Local Plan, to inform members of the public, stakeholders and external organisations of the main opportunities to get involved in the plan making progress.”
The Local Development Scheme (LDS) 2021 covers the period March 2021 – March 2024 will be referred to Council for adoption in April 2021.
The previous LDS was adopted November 2019 and sets out the timetable for the Local Plan Review. The progress of the review has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.