Notice of Commencement – new Local Plan
Publication Date:
Cannock Chase District Council hereby gives notice of its intention to commence preparation of the Cannock Chase District Local Plan (2026 – 2046).
This Notice is published in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 25 March 2026, and marks the start of the formal Local Plan preparation process under the Government’s new plan making system.
Publication statement
The Local Plan will set out the strategy, policies and land allocations necessary to guide sustainable development across the District of Cannock Chase. A Local Plan Timetable has been published and is available at: Local Plan 2026-2046 Timetable | Cannock Chase District Council
A scoping consultation will take place prior to Gateway 1 and further opportunities for public and stakeholder engagement will be provided throughout the plan making process.
For further information, please contact: planningpolicy@cannockchasedc.gov.uk
Current Position
The Council is preparing a new Local Plan under the Government’s new system of plan making, which requires local plans to be prepared and adopted within a 30 month period. In line with national guidance, the Council has begun the preparatory work needed to commence the formal plan making process. This has included early evidence gathering across key topic areas, initial engagement planning, and the preparation of a draft Local Plan Timetable.
The Council is now publishing its Notice of Intention to Commence Plan Making, which marks the start of the preliminary Scoping and Early Participation stage. This stage will introduce the new Local Plan process to the community and stakeholders, raise awareness of the review, and invite early views to help shape the emerging vision and strategic options for the district.
Following completion of the Scoping and Early Participation stage, the Council will prepare and publish its Gateway 1 self assessment before entering the formal 30 month preparation period. Throughout 2026 and 2027, work will continue on developing the emerging spatial vision, strategy options and evidence base, with the intention of preparing a draft Local Plan for public consultation later in 2027.
About the new Local Plan
The Cannock Chase Local Plan (2026 – 2046) will set out the strategy, policies and land allocations needed to guide sustainable development across the district up to 2046. The plan will address key issues including housing, the local economy, infrastructure, environmental protection and the conservation of the districts landscape and heritage.
The Local Plan is being prepared under the Government’s new 30 month plan making system, which introduces Gateway stages and an updated timetable for plan preparation.
Local Plan Timetable
A Local Plan Timetable has been published and is available here: Local Plan 2026-2046 Timetable | Cannock Chase District Council
The Council anticipates submitting its Gateway 1 Self Assessment no earlier than October 2026, following completion of early scoping and preparatory work.
Stage 1: Scoping and Early Participation Stage | We aim to carry out stage one Public Consultation later in May – June 2027.
Please take a look at our Local Plan Timetable
Evidence to support the new Local Plan | Ongoing evidence gathering will inform the Local Plan. Final documents will be published on our Evidence Base pages.
Please take a look at our Evidence base pages
Ongoing Engagement…
We want to keep you informed, so please do check this page regularly. If you would like more information or feel that you would like to be involved in the development of the Local Plan, please contact us: planningpolicy@cannockchasedc.gov.uk and request to be added to the Local Plan Consultation Database.
Want to know more about how we consult and engage on planning matters
- Have a look at our Statement of Community Involvement
In accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, Cannock Chase is preparing a new Cannock Chase Local Plan covering the whole of the Cannock Chase District administrative area Office for National Statistics (ONS) Code: E07000192. Please refer to the relevant map below:
Page Updated: 26.06.2026