Still time to have your say on the Local Plan
Residents and organisations still have time to have their say on a new draft Local Plan (LP) that identifies land for future development in the St Albans District.
A six-week long public consultation into the LP, which opened last month, runs until Wednesday 17 October.
St Albans City and District Councillors published the document which pinpoints areas deemed suitable for new housing, commercial building and infrastructure.
Individuals, businesses and other interested parties can give their views on the proposals which can be viewed on the Council’s website: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/planning-policy. The website page has a video that explains the major issues.
Information about the LP is also available at the Council’s offices at the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, as well as public libraries and Town and Parish Council offices.
The draft LP covers the years 2020 to 2036 and conforms to a Government proposal that 913 new homes a year – 14,608 in total – should be built during that period.
Eleven sites in the Green Belt to provide some of the new homes and jobs have been put forward.
Once the consultation closes, the Council will analyse the feedback and decide if any changes need to be made to the LP.
If all goes to schedule, the LP will then be submitted in March to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government who will appoint a Planning Inspector to examine it.
Councillor Mary Maynard, Portfolio Holder for Planning, said:
We want to reach out and hear the views of as many people and groups as possible.
I urge all those interested in the future of our District to get involved in this very important exercise and let their voice be heard.
The draft LP was supported by Councillors from all parties, right across the District, and I believe it balances the need to protect the Green Belt as much as we can with the need to allow for new homes, employment centres and infrastructure.
The Council carried out an extensive consultation earlier this year as the LP was drafted.
This included 14 exhibitions, staffed by planning officers, at venues throughout the District. A booklet explaining the issues was delivered to 60,000 households.
Picture: Cllr Maynard with a copy of the draft LP.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Mary Maynard, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Building Control, St Albans City and District Council.
Tel: 01582 620801, Email: Cllr.M.Maynard@stalbans.gov.uk
Media contact:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council.
Tel: 01727 296130 E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk