Suffolk Coastal District Council Local Plan Final Draft Consultation (14th January – 25th February 2019)

Suffolk Coastal Final Draft Local Plan,

(Publication under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012)

 The Suffolk Coastal Final Draft Local Plan has been published for submission of representations.  This is the final stage before the District Council submits the Local Plan to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for Examination.

The Suffolk Coastal Local Plan, which covers the period to 2036, sets out the level of growth to be planned for, and identifies where that growth should be located and how it should be delivered.  It also contains planning policies which will be used to determine planning applications in the area.

The representations period runs from Monday 14^th January to 17.00 Monday 25^th February 2019.

Any representations received after this date may not be considered.  Only representations received within the period have a statutory right to be considered during the Examination.

The following documents are published as part of this representations period:

• Suffolk Coastal Local Plan Final Draft,
• Sustainability Appraisal Report – Assessing how the plan will help achieve environmental, economic and social objectives,
• Consultation Statement – how we took into account comments from previous consultations.
• Habitat Regulations Assessment – Assesses the impact of the plan on internationally protected habitats,
• Equality Impact Assessment – Assessing the impact of the Final Draft Local Plan policies upon different sections of the community.
• Duty to Cooperate Statement – how the Council cooperated with relevant authorities to maximise the effectiveness of Local Plan preparation in the context of strategic cross boundary matters,
• Statement of Representations Procedure – how representations will be considered and where documents are available. A representation form and guidance note on how to make a representation are made available.
• Evidence base to support the Local Plan, covering housing, employment and retail, the natural and historic environment, viability and commercial leisure.

To view the Final Draft Local Plan, supporting documents, evidence base and submit a representation, visit: www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/finaldraftlocalplan.

Copies of the Final Draft Local Plan are also available to view at Felixstowe Town Hall and Felixstowe Library. 

During the representations period, public drop-in sessions have been organised.  Please come along to a drop-in session to talk to Planning Officers about the Local Plan and how to make a representation.  Details of the drop-in sessions can be found in the table below.

In order that the District Council and the Planning Inspector conducting the examination have all of the necessary information to consider representations, respondents are asked to complete the official response form. A guidance note is also available which should be referred to when submitting representations. The response form can be completed and submitted via:

• The Council’s online consultation system at eastsuffolk.gov.uk/finaldraftlocalplan (this is the District Council’s preferred way of receiving representations);
• Downloading a response form from the website (eastsuffolk.gov.uk/finaldraftlocalplan) and returning via email to suffolkcoastallocalplan@eastsuffolk.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy & Delivery Team, East Suffolk House, Station Road, Riduna Park, Melton, Woodbridge, IP12 1RT.
• Requesting a response form from the Planning Policy and Delivery Team by emailing suffolkcoastallocalplan@eastsuffolk.gov.uk or by phoning 01394 444557, and returning via email or post.

At this stage, representations should only be made on the legal compliance and the soundness of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan.  These terms are explained in the guidance note accompanying the representation form.  It is necessary to indicate on the representation form whether you wish your comments to be dealt with by written representation or by attendance at the examination.

Representations made during this period will be submitted with the Local Plan to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who will appoint an independent Planning Inspector to conduct an examination into the soundness of the Local Plan.  The public hearing stage of the examination is expected to be held in Summer 2019.

Following the examination, the Inspector’s Report will be published and may propose changes to the Local Plan document.  The District Council must make these changes to the document prior to its formal adoption, which is expected before the end of 2019.  Once adopted, the Local Plan will be the development plan for the Council and the documents which currently make up the Local Plan will be formally superseded.

The Consultation Statement details how the District Council took into account comments from previous consultations in producing the Final Draft Local Plan.  Individual responses to the First Draft Local Plan can be viewed at: http://consult.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/consult.ti/system/listConsultations?type=C

Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations Assessment

At this time, comments are also invited on the Sustainability Appraisal Report and Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan.  These are available at: www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/finaldraftlocalplan and the District  Council’s Customer Service Centre and local libraries across the District.  Comments on the Sustainability Appraisal and the Habitat Regulations Assessment should be sent to suffolkcoastallocalplan@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

If you have any queries about any aspect of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan, please contact a member of the Planning Policy and Delivery Team.