Councils submit draft Central Lancs Local Plan
Chorley, Preston and South Ribble’s local authorities have lodged the document, in development since 2018, with the Secretary of State.
The submission comes after a series of extensive consultations with residents and other stakeholders, ending with a final consultation – the ‘Regulation 19’ consultation – which ran from February to April this year, giving a final opportunity for the public to give feedback.
As with other spatial plans working across council boundaries, the CLLP is a strategic plan for the areas of Chorley, Preston and South Ribble, setting out the three councils’ approach to managing and delivering development in residential, employment and other infrastructure, for the years between 2023 and 2041.
Cllr Colin Sharples, cabinet member for Economic Growth and Planning at South Ribble Council said “It’s been a long journey to get the draft Central Lancashire Local Plan to this stage, and I want to thank all those who have worked since 2018 to make it happen, along with all those who provided vital feedback.
“The Local Plan allows us to be in a strong position to support sustainable development which will enhance South Ribble, allowing the borough to continue to see growth and to make sure we can keep up with the housing and employment demand.”
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All documents relating to the draft plan can be viewed online, including a suite of development plans encompassing the local development scheme, core strategy, local plans for each partner council, and a series of neighbourhood development plans therein, along with supplementary documents covering areas such as affordable housing.
Cllr Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council said, “I am pleased that we have reached this milestone and that the plan is now with the Secretary of State for her review. There has been an incredible amount of hard work to get to this stage, and I want to acknowledge all the residents and other stakeholders who have provided valuable feedback and helped to shape the plan.
“The Local Plan allows us to shape the future landscape of Chorley by outlining areas for development, ensuring that we can see sustainable and considered growth in the borough, whilst seeking to protect our precious green space.”
The draft plan’s progress has been pushed forward amid a time of change, with housing targets not only moving up and down but being questioned as a desirable aim at all by former Secretary of State Michael Gove in 2022.
More recently, the issue of how Lancashire’s local and regional governance will look going forward has come to the fore, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government asking the county’s 15 main councils to submit plans for reorganisation, as the Labour government looks to streamline local government.
Cllr Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, joined his counterparts in hailing the submissiuon of a draft plan as a landmark, stating: “Reaching this point in the Central Lancashire Local Plan process is a significant achievement, and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved over the years, from our dedicated officers to the residents and organisations who took the time to share their views.
“This Local Plan is vital in helping us manage future growth in Preston in a way that is both sustainable and sensitive to the needs of our communities. The plan aligns with our Community Wealth Building strategy, fostering the creation of more and better-quality job opportunities, and supporting skills development.
“It ensures we have a clear, shared vision for where new homes, jobs, and services should be located, while protecting the spaces and places that matter most to local people.”
- View the draft Central Lancashire Local Plan here
