Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy: Pre-Submission Draft

Following four significant rounds of engagement on the Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy since 2012 Northumberland County Council is now undertaking a statutory consultation on the Core Strategy Pre-Submission Draft.  This consultation starts on Wednesday 14 October and runs until midnight on Wednesday 25 November 2015.

The consultation document can be viewed via the link below:

• Core Strategy Pre-Submission Draft consultation document (live from 14 October).

The Core Strategy is the County Council’s main strategic plan for Northumberland, covering the period to 2031.  The Pre-Submission Draft:

• Sets out the spatial vision, objectives and outcomes for Northumberland;
• Describes the overall strategic approach to growth across Northumberland; and
• Proposes policy approaches for the economy, housing, the environment, climate change, infrastructure, minerals, waste and renewable energy.

In addition, the Council is seeking feedback on a draft Supplementary Planning Document for the South East Ponteland development site.

All consultation documents and the evidence base for the Pre Submission Core Strategy are available to view on the Council’s website at corestrategy.northumberland.gov.uk.

Hard copies of the main consultation documents can be found in Council planning receptions, Information Centres and libraries and are also available for purchase from the Council. In addition a CD containing the Core Strategy Pre Submission consultation document is available free of charge on request.

This is the final opportunity for comments to be made on the Core Strategy before it is submitted for independent examination.  It is a formal, statutory stage; therefore it is different to previous consultations.  The purpose of the consultation is to obtain views on the ‘soundness’ of the plan; whether the plan is positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy.

Comments on the plan should be submitted using the ‘Representation Form’ and must be received by the midnight on Wednesday 25 November 2015.

Copies of the representation form and guidance note to help you make a representation are available to download from the Councils’ website at http://northumberland-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/core_strategy/cspsd.

The preference is for representations to be made online, via the Council’s interactive website, at http://northumberland-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/core_strategy/cspsd.  If you have commented before, please use your existing registration details (see above). Commenting online is straightforward, once registered.  However, NCC will also accept comments via email (to PlanningStrategy@northumberland.gov.uk) or post, using the representation forms.

During the consultation, NCC are holding a number of drop-in events around the County, which are listed below

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of Core Strategy team at PlanningStrategy@northumberland.gov.uk or by telephone on 0345 600 6400 if you have any questions about the forthcoming consultation arrangements or the Core Strategy planning process in general.

Drop-in events (a small exhibition with officers present)

*Officers attending regarding Morpeth and Ponteland Schools/Leisure Proposals