Published on Wednesday 07 May 2025
BCP Council is set to begin work on a new Local Plan - setting out a vision and a framework, along with detailed planning policies, which will guide decision making for all future development in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
It is expected that at the council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday 13 May, Cabinet will make a recommendation to Full Council to withdraw the previous draft Local Plan which was submitted for public examination by the planning inspectorate in June 2024.
The new plan will need to align with the new national planning policy framework issued by the government on 12 December 2024 which sets out that housing figures are mandatory, and that Green Belt should be reviewed to assist with meeting housing need, including delivery of affordable housing.
Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council, said: “Whilst we are disappointed that the outcome from examination means our draft Local Plan has to be withdrawn, I am confident that the preparation that we have already undertaken remains highly relevant and can be used to inform our new Local Plan.
“We support the ambition to tackle the housing crisis by increasing the availability of affordable, well-made housing however the government’s new mandatory housing targets present significant challenges for our area.
“It is important that we balance our future development priorities whilst protecting the beautiful area that we live in and the precious natural environment we are so lucky to have.
“We will be making it clear to the government that there is a need for national investment in our infrastructure to support their targets.
“A Local Plan is an opportunity for people to shape where they live and to tell the Planning Inspectorate what they think is acceptable in their areas which is all the more important considering the new requirements from government on housing delivery.”
The council aims to submit the Local Plan for examination in March 2028, after it has gone through early public engagement and evidence updates over the next 12 months, and two rounds of public consultation in 2026 and 2027
The council will soon initiate a new call for potential development sites as part of the ongoing efforts to assess the capacity to deliver new homes within BCP boundaries.