To receive a verbal update from the Planned Policy & Strategy Manager.

Contact: Edward West.

Edward West, Planning Policy and Strategy Manager, provided an overview of progress on the new Shropshire Local Plan. He explained that the Council was currently undertaking an early engagement exercise to gather views on the future vision for Shropshire, the outcomes the plan should achieve, planning policies, evidence requirements and how housing, employment and other development needs should be delivered. It was emphasised that the Council was currently seeking views and evidence rather than consulting on specific development sites or growth options.

The Planning Policy and Strategy Manager explained that the new national planning system introduces a series of gateway assessments designed to keep plan-making on schedule and ensure that plans were scrutinised by Planning Inspectors at key stages before submission for examination. Public consultation on a draft plan, including housing numbers, settlement growth and preferred development sites, was expected in spring 2027, with adoption anticipated in 2029. It was stressed that the Local Plan was not solely about housing and would also consider employment, transport, infrastructure, environmental matters and wider community needs.

In discussion, members considered how scrutiny should engage with the Local Plan process. It was suggested that the Committee should receive updates before key gateway assessments so that members would have an opportunity to comment on proposals and influence the process. The Planning Policy and Strategy Manager agreed that the gateway stages would provide useful milestones for Scrutiny involvement and the Chairman proposed that updates be incorporated into the Committee’s work programme.

Questions were raised regarding the relationship between the Local Plan and other strategic documents, particularly the Local Transport Plan. Members highlighted the importance of ensuring that housing growth, transport infrastructure, employment opportunities and economic development were planned together. In response, the Planning Policy and Strategy Manager advised that Government guidance expects the Local Plan and Local Transport Plan to align and confirmed that the timing of both processes provided a valuable opportunity to ensure they inform one another. He also confirmed that the Local Plan would consider employment land and wider economic needs, not just housing requirements.

Councillor David Walker, Portfolio Holder for Planning reinforced the importance of joined-up planning, recognising that a number of major strategies, including the Local Plan, Local Transport Plan and other key policy documents, were being developed at the same time which provided a valuable opportunity to produce a more integrated strategy than had been possible previously. He advised that Scrutiny would have opportunities to examine the evidence gathered during the plan-making process and highlighted that the Local Plan must respond not only to national housing targets but also to the differing needs of communities across the county.

Members also asked whether agriculture and rural development would be considered through the Local Plan. It was explained that previous plans had contained policies supporting rural businesses and agricultural development and anticipated that similar policies would be included within the new plan. He added that agricultural land quality would form part of the site assessment process when potential development locations were evaluated.

The Chairman sought clarification on how the current consultation had been promoted. The Planning Policy and Strategy Manager reported that the Council had issued press releases, undertaken a series of drop-in events across the county, attended libraries, worked through area committees and contacted community groups, town councils and parish councils. He confirmed that information had previously been circulated to all members and agreed that the consultation link could be shared again to encourage wider participation.

Members expressed concerns regarding maps published on the Council’s website showing land submitted through the call-for-sites process and asked whether residents could comment on those locations. The Planning Policy and Strategy Manager clarified that these sites were not proposals or decisions made by the Council but simply land submitted by landowners for consideration. He advised that while comments received at the current stage would be considered, the formal opportunity for residents to comment on potential allocations would arise during consultation on the draft plan in 2027, when the Council identifies its preferred options.

Further discussion focused on housing needs within local communities. Members highlighted concerns regarding the availability of affordable homes, accommodation for younger people, the need for more bungalows for older residents and the importance of supporting rural communities to retain local families. Concerns were also expressed about ensuring communities were involved in shaping proposals before decisions become fixed. The Planning Policy and Strategy Manager reiterated that no decisions had yet been made on any sites and that early engagement was intended to ensure local communities could help shape the plan before draft proposals were produced.

Recommended:

It was agreed that the Local Plan should return to the Committee at key gateway stages and before major consultations and decision points, with the process incorporated into the Committee’s future work programme.