Published on Monday 07 October 2019
Everyone living and working in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is invited to have their say in shaping and influencing BCP Council’s long-term development strategy.
From today (Monday 7 October 2019), a six-week public consultation has been launched to identify the issues that need to be addressed as part of BCP Council’s first Local Plan.
The Local Plan will set out the council’s vision for the area, and the policies which will guide its future planning decisions. The Council has a legal requirement to produce and adopt a Local Plan within the next four years to replace the three local plans adopted by the three preceding councils.
During the consultation period anyone with a potential development site is also invited to submit it to BCP Council for consideration. This will help the Council to identify what land is available for development across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Furthermore, communities, residents, businesses and local organisations are asked to give feedback on how and when the Council will consult, inform and engage with them on the Local Plan, planning applications and other planning documents. This forms part of the BCP Council’s Statement of Community Involvement.
Whilst the preceding councils were consistent in their approach, there are key differences in the Statement with regards to public engagement including how residents are informed of planning applications in their area. A number of options have been proposed with a hybrid option being preferred, which allows notification by site notices or letters depending on site circumstances. This would implement a fair and consistent approach across the three towns.
Councillor Margaret Phipps, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, BCP Council, said;
"These consultations will ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be involved in and influence the preparation of our first inclusive Local Plan for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Utilising the knowledge of local people, we will also be able to develop policies which strengthen and embrace our area’s diverse sense of identity and support the delivery of the Council’s key priorities.’’
The letter inviting comment on the issues that the new Local Plan should address, together with the Statement of Community Involvement and call for sites is available
To be added to the consultation database or submit comments, please email: bcplocalplan@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.