Rutland’s new Local Plan (2021-2041) is on track to go out for a final consultation this month before submission to the government for examination in early 2025.
This Final Submission Draft (Regulation 19) will not ask for views on alternative options but is a final chance to comment specifically on whether the Plan is legally compliant and ‘sound’. To be sound, the Local Plan must be positively prepared, justified, effective, and consistent with national planning policy.
Every planning authority must have an up to date Local Plan that covers a period of at least 15 years. Local plans set out what can be built and where building should take place and contain important policies to support environmental protection, jobs and the economy.
This new Local plan, which can be found on the Council’s website, sets a housing level of 123 houses per annum for Rutland with no new housing allocations in Whissendine. However, you will be aware of the government’s manifesto commitment to deliver thousands of new homes across the country with proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to enable this to happen. These include new targets for housing which we expect to be 264 houses per annum for Rutland. This is a massive 114% increase and while there are some transitional arrangements in place for authorities such as ours who have well advanced local plans, it seems likely that the Council will have to immediately start reviewing the draft plan and we potentially run the risk of not having sufficient housing supply in the county. There will be a new call for sites and areas around Whissendine will no doubt again be put forward for consideration.
My next residents surgery will be on Tuesday 15th October at the White Lion from 6pm until 8pm.
Rosemary Powell
County Councillor
Whissendine Ward
01664 474257
rpowell@rutland.gov.uk
Rutland County Council
Customer Service Centre: 01572 722 577