Agenda item

Recommendations

 

       i.         That the Executive approve the Local Plan Timetable as set out in Appendix 1 and provide delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Community Development to package this timetable up into any relevant document / webpage as directed by forthcoming Government guidance and announcements.

 

     ii.         That the Corporate Director for Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business be delegated authority to carry out specific administrative duties including, but not limited to, publishing updates to Local Plan data, publishing consultation summaries and approving the Gateway Assessment Recommendations at stages 2 and 3.

 

    iii.         That the Corporate Director for Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business be authorised to review and amend the timescales of Local Plan Timetable.

 

Considered a report of the Corporate Director – Community Development which sought Executive approval of the Council’s Local Plan Timetable which included key milestones as set out in the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026.

 

Introducing the report, the Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Heather Phillips explained that that the timetable had been updated to align with new national requirements, including the introduction of a mandatory plan preparation period. It was noted that, whilst the approach to plan-making had changed, significant work had already been undertaken which would continue to inform the emerging plan. Adoption of the Local Plan remained targeted for 2029.

 

Members were advised that the revised process would include a ‘get ready’ phase prior to commencement of the formal 30‑month plan preparation period, which was proposed to begin on 30 April 2027. The timetable included three key consultation stages: scoping in late 2026, consultation on content and evidence in autumn 2027, and consultation on the proposed Local Plan in autumn 2028. Submission to the Secretary of State was planned for March 2029, with adoption anticipated later that year.

 

The report also sought delegated authority for the Corporate Director, in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business, to undertake several operational functions to support delivery of the timetable, including publication of updates, management of gateway assessments and consultation reporting. It was explained that this approach would ensure the programme could be managed efficiently and transparently.

 

During discussion, Members sought clarification regarding opportunities for public engagement, particularly in relation to when site assessments and proposed site allocations would be made available. In response, it was explained that the new system placed a greater emphasis on earlier engagement around evidence and strategic direction, with detailed site allocations not expected to be published until the proposed plan stage in autumn 2028. It was further noted that information on submitted sites would continue to be made available, including updates identifying sites no longer progressing.

 

Members also discussed the implications of the Government’s increased housing targets and the challenges associated with delivering these requirements. Concerns were raised regarding the risk of sites being allocated but not built out, the impact of speculative development, and the need to ensure that the plan remained deliverable in practice. Officers confirmed that the five‑year housing land supply would continue to be assessed using established methodologies, taking into account both completions and deliverable commitments.

 

Members expressed concern regarding the wider planning system, including the impact of short‑term holiday lets on housing availability, and the need for complementary national policy changes to address these issues alongside local plan preparation.

 

Resolved (unanimously) that:

 

1. That the Executive approve the Local Plan Timetable as set out in Appendix 1 and provide delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Community Development to package this timetable up into any relevant document / webpage as directed by forthcoming Government guidance and announcements.

 

2. That the Corporate Director for Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business be delegated authority to carry out specific administrative duties including, but not limited to, publishing updates to Local Plan data, publishing consultation summaries and approving the Gateway Assessment Recommendations at stages 2 and 3.

 

3. That the Corporate Director for Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business be authorised to review and amend the timescales of Local Plan Timetable.

 

Reasons

 

The preparation of a Local Plan Timetable is a statutory requirement as set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended).

 

Alternative options considered

 

The Council has a statutory duty to prepare a new Local Plan for North Yorkshire and there are no options in respect of that absolute requirement. The options in relation to this report relate to the timings of the Local Plan preparation process, which have been developed through discussions with Management Board and Legal and Democratic Services.

 

In collaboration with the above officers, different options were considered for the pivotal ‘Content and Evidence’ consultation stage. The content of this stage is discretionary in terms of the matters it can include and could take the form of a light touch version or a full draft plan. This can be summarised as follows:

 

·       ‘Light Touch’ – proposed vision, aims and objectives; emerging spatial strategy; summary of evidence required (obtained/to be commissioned); summary of policies to be included (policy list) 

·       ‘Hybrid’ – minimum requirements (as above), plus some policies and/or sites 

·       ‘Full Draft’ – minimum requirements (as above), plus all policies and sites 

 

The following principles were developed by officers to aid the assessment of the options for progressing the plan:

 

·       Meet Government requirements – conform to national regulations, policy and guidance, and demonstrates that the Plan will be delivered in 30 months (plus the requisite lead in time).

·       Are appropriate for North Yorkshire – provide a timetable that is deliverable from a workload perspective and that gives the best chance of delivering beneficial outcomes for North Yorkshire.

·       Add value to previous work – ensure that value is added at each stage of production to show evolution and refinement in thought process and plan content. This extends to the “Issues and Options” document that was consulted upon under the current system in May-July 2025.

 

The recommendation is that of these three options, the hybrid option provides the best opportunity for the Council to meet the 30-month timeframe for plan production. The other two scenarios were not considered to be deliverable and would present significant risks to the Council. The additional six to seven months afforded to plan-making under the recommended timescale will be critical given the volume and complexity of work that must be undertaken and enables the appropriate engagement with members through DPC, Area Committees and member updates.

 

Taking all of this into consideration, officers are of the view that the recommended option is the only realistic one available to the Council. While it is not without risks, they are more manageable and mitigatable than the alternatives.  The reality is that as we move through the process there are several risks for us to monitor and there are pinch points that increase the risk of slippage.  Again, this comes back to progressing a large and complex plan within a timescale that will be challenging to even the smallest plan areas in the country.  An overview of the current key risks to the timescale for the NYLP are set out at Appendix 3 along with information on mitigation.