An important part of the planning process is gathering evidence and factual information to help identify the issues and needs of the area.

Evidence can come from reports, strategies, specific pieces of research and from a wide range of sources including organisations that operate at a local level or organisations that operate on a wider level but have specialist knowledge or expertise.

Pieces of supporting evidence which help inform the Dorset Council Local Plan are set out in the table on this page. In addition to these, there are a number of existing reports that have formed part of our evidence base for previous reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans. Where appropriate, these pieces of evidence have also helped inform the production of the Plan, and can be accessed using the links below.

Supporting evidence

The following section lists evidence that has been produced to help develop the Dorset Council Local Plan. Some of the evidence listed was produced separately to support the reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans, but together covers the Dorset Council area as a whole.

 

Development Strategy and Viability

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to the strategy for development, and viability, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Topic

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Development Strategy

Green belt

January 2021

Strategic Green Belt Review (Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch, & Poole Council) 

Viability

Viability assessment

December 2022

Dorset Council area viability assessment

 

Settlements

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to specific settlements, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Topic

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Alderholt

Transport

May 2021/September 2021

Alderholt Traffic Modelling Report

Alderholt Traffic Forecasting Report 

Dorchester

Heritage

January 2021

North of Dorchester Heritage Impact Assessment

Dorchester

Garden Communities

In progress

North of Dorchester Garden Community

 

 

Housing

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to housing, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Land availability

September 2020/September 2023

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and Gypsy and Traveller Land Availability Assessment

Housing needs

January 2022

Housing Needs Assessment

Sensitivity report

Impact report

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment Update

October 2022

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment Update

 

 

 

Environment

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to the environment, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Ecology

2021/2022

Extended Phase 1 ecological surveys

Landscape and Heritage

Various

Landscape and Heritage Studies

Flood Risk

March 2024

Dorset Council Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

Flood Risk

February 2024

Weymouth Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

 

 

Economy

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to the economy, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Town Centres and Retail Development

January 2023

Dorset Retail and Leisure Study - 2022 Update

Employment 

March 2024 

Employment Land Study (Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council)

 

Community needs and infrastructure

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to community needs and infrastructure, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

Recreation and open space

Various

Playing Pitch Strategy, and Sport and Leisure Facilities Needs Assessments

Renewable energy

December 2020

Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Report 

Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.1

Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.2 

Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.3 

Electricity Grid Capacity

November 2023

Grid Capacity Assessment - Constraint Analysis

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainability appraisal

This table contains links to evidence gathered by Dorset Council on topics related to the sustainability appraisal, to inform the production of the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Sub-topic

Publication date

Document title

N/A

September 2019

Sustainability Appraisal: Scoping Report

 

 

There are several pieces of work that are ongoing to inform the development of the Dorset Council Local Plan. They will be used to inform the final draft of the plan which will be consulted on in 2024. These assessments, and their anticipated dates of publication, are as follows:

  • Economic Needs Assessment 

Please note this is not a comprehensive list, and anticipated dates may change.

Background papers

Please find below background papers produced to inform the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Please be aware that more background papers will be added to this page as they become available.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of the above documents in a more accessible format, please contact the planning policy team using the details below. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Statement of Common Ground

A statement of common ground is a written record of the progress made by strategic policy-making authorities during plan making process on addressing strategic cross-boundary matters. It documents what co-operation is happening and where agreement has or has not been reached. It is a way of demonstrating at examination that plans are deliverable and based on effective joint working across local authority boundaries. In the case of local planning authorities, it also forms part of the evidence required to demonstrate that they have complied with the duty to cooperate.

The current Statements of Common Ground are as follows:

Previous Adopted Local Plan Reviews

Where appropriate, evidence that informed previous reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans has helped inform the Dorset Council Local Plan. This evidence can be found using the following links.