Purpose

This paper provides Cabinet with an update on the progress the Council has made in developing its latest Local Plan. In doing so, it reflects on:

·       the impact the April 2025 update of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) had on the housing target for Lichfield district, (increasing it to 746 houses per year - 15,666 over the plan period 2022-2043 - a 158% increase on the previous target of 289 houses per year), and

·       the opportunity to develop a deeper evidence base to support a preferred option for distributing growth across the district to achieve this revised housing number, provided through the new Town and Country Planning Regulations under the new condensed timeframe of 30 months for non ‘legacy system’ plans

Decision

The Cabinet:

1. 1 Approved a move to a Local Plan submission under the new 30 month system in line with the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2026.
2. 2 Delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Housing and the Local Plan in conjunction with the Chief Executive, to serve the notice of commencement and publish the timetable for the new Local Plan.

Reasons for the decision

If the proposal to change to the new 30-month process is approved, it will allow time for the new plan to adequately address and include options for new settlements - new, planned communities in appropriate locations, alongside other approaches. This approach would better ensure that growth can be planned in the right locations and supported by the necessary infrastructure, while protecting landscapes, heritage and the character of the district.

While this would extend the overall timeline for adopting the Local Plan, it would strengthen the council’s ability to manage development in the long term and also presents an opportunity to produce a clearer, more user-friendly plan for the benefit of residents and businesses.

Alternative options considered

The Council could continue to progress the Lichfield Local Plan 2043 to submission by December 2026. However, as the evidence base and the draft final Local Plan is not complete, this option presents a risk that the timescales for consultation and the end deadline for submission set by government cannot be met. There is also the risk that documents produced within the short timeframe remaining would not meet the pre-submission requirements or the tests of soundness set out in the NPPF. If the Local Plan was found unsound during the examination, the Council could not adopt it