The Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee met on Wednesday 29 July 2026 to discuss the Hillingdon Local Plan update, the West London Waste Plan, and the borough's Growth Agenda. The committee noted progress on the Local Plan scoping consultation and the proposed submission of the West London Waste Plan for public consultation.

Local Plan Update

Gavin Polkinghorn, Team Leader for Planning Policy, provided an update on the Hillingdon Local Plan. The committee was informed that the scoping consultation, which seeks input on what the Local Plan should contain and how stakeholders wish to be consulted, is currently underway and will conclude on 21 August 2026. The process involves an online platform called Commonplace, where comments are visible and can be upvoted or downvoted. Hard copies are also available at libraries for those who are digitally excluded. The next formal stage, focusing on the Local Plan's content and evidence, is scheduled for November 2026.

Concerns were raised about ensuring engagement with residents who may not engage online. Officers explained that paper letters are sent to those on the mailing list without email addresses, and that further outreach, potentially including public spaces, will occur during the draft plan stage. The committee also discussed how representations are considered, with officers clarifying that while all views are considered, the council ultimately decides on the Local Plan's content, balancing national and London Plan requirements with local aspirations. The committee noted the report.

West London Waste Plan

Elizabeth Bundred-Woodward, Principal Planning Officer, presented the West London Waste Plan (WLWP). This statutory plan, developed jointly with five other London boroughs and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, outlines how waste will be managed across West London. The committee was informed that the second round of consultation, known as the Regulation 19 consultation, on the proposed submission version of the plan, was launching on Tuesday. This version has been revised following feedback from the previous consultation, including the addition of a policy on wastewater treatment infrastructure and further references to Heathrow Airport and the Greater London Authority. The consultation closes at the end of August, with a submission to the Secretary of State planned for December. Missing this deadline would necessitate starting the plan-making process again. The committee noted the report.

Growth Agenda

Ryan Dell, Democratic Services, introduced the Growth Agenda. Members were informed that the Hillingdon Growth Plan had been approved by Cabinet the previous week and an update would be provided at the September committee meeting. Councillor Jonathan Bianco, Chair of the committee, noted the plan's extensive nature and recommended members read it before the September meeting, when Julia Johnson, a key author of the plan, would be present to discuss it. The committee was asked to note the report.

Policy Review Discussion and Guidance

Ryan Dell presented guidance on undertaking policy reviews. The committee was invited to suggest topics for future reviews, with a scorecard provided to help assess potential topics. It was emphasised that reviews should be clear, specific, and achievable, avoiding duplication with ongoing work. The committee noted the guidance and agreed to use the scorecard for future topic assessment, aiming to develop a shortlist of potential review topics over the coming months.

Forward Plan

Ryan Dell provided an overview of the Cabinet Forward Plan, which outlines upcoming decisions by Cabinet and Cabinet members. The committee was reminded that an updated version had been released on Friday. The committee noted the plan and its relevance to their work programme.

Work Programme

Ryan Dell presented the committee's work programme, noting that it was currently sparse and needed populating with ideas. The committee discussed potentially rolling over the local plan discussion to the next meeting to allow Julia Johnson and Nick Dennis to comment. The committee noted the work programme.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers for their presentations.