RESIDENTS are being invited to have their say on modifications to Leicester’s Local Plan.
A consultation is giving people the chance to comment on the recommendations planning inspectors have made on the Local Plan.
In September 2023, Leicester City Council submitted its Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for independent examination. Public examination hearings were held late last year, led by Government-appointed planning inspectors.
Following these hearings, inspectors have now agreed a number of amendments – known as ‘main modifications’ - to make the plan sound.
These modifications are detailed, and cover a wide range of topics, such as sustainability, climate change, the use of brownfield sites, transport and the local economy.
The modifications build on policies, regulations and supporting documents that inform the Local Plan and make recommendations on how they should be applied in the future.
City mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This is the next stage of our Local Plan, and it’s important to note that residents are only able to comment on main modifications to the Plan at this stage. This is because the development of a Local Plan follows a strict process, which is set nationally, and prescribes what we can consult on at each stage.
“We have already held several consultations on the Local Plan, and the comments and representations we previously received have already been considered and included in our evidence.
“Once the responses from this latest consultation have been considered, we should be getting close to being able to adopt a new Local Plan for Leicester.
“A robust Local Plan is a vital tool that helps us to shape housing, our local economy, community facilities and infrastructure for our city. It will set out our strategy for growth up until 2036, as well as helping us to conserve and enhance our natural and historic environment.”
The consultation runs until 21 July and is available to fill in online at consultations.leicester.gov.uk
Once the consultation is complete, comments are sent back to the Government planning inspectors for consideration. They will then determine whether the Local Plan is ‘sound’ and produce a written report outlining their final recommendations.
For full details, please see the Local Plan webpage: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/content/leicester-local-plan-examination/
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