West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan Review

Until April 2019, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland were working on a Local Plan Review. The evidence generated is below and is now feeding into the Dorset Council Local Plan.

Review of the Local Plan

• Preferred Options
• Issues and Options

In his report on the examination of the local plan, the Inspector indicated that he considered it to be "imperative that an early review is undertaken". The objective of the review is to identify additional housing land capable of meeting housing need to 2036. Through the Local Plan Review the councils will also consider revisions to other policies in response to changes in national policy and legislation.

The councils have set out the full scope of this review in their updated Local Development Scheme (March 2016) and through subsequent committee reports taken to the West Dorset District Council Executive Committee and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council Management Committee.

Many planning issues cross administrative boundaries and are the responsibility of a range of organisations. Cooperation on these issues is required under the 'Duty to Cooperate' and the councils are engaged in strategic planning across a range of issues as part of this duty.

The plan will start to gain some weight as a material planning consideration as it progresses towards adoption. The degree of weight given to each draft policy will vary, depending on whether or not the issue is contentious and to what extent it is consistent with the national planning policy framework.

Preferred Options Consultation

We consulted on Preferred Options for the review of the Local Plan between 13 August and 15 October 2018. This consultation formed part of the regulation 18 consultation. Responses received during this period have now been processed and a summary of the responses made by organisations and individuals to the consultation has been produced. 

Comments submitted to the consultation can be viewed in full using our consultation response search. Comments are searchable by chapter and by individual/organisation. You can view responses made on the Preferred Options Document and Sustainability Appraisal that supported the Preferred Options consultation.

The Preferred Options document (and separate policies map amendments) set out the overarching vision, strategic priorities, strategic approach and draft policies for the plan area. The document set out a preferred approach to meet development needs. It is also proposed to revise some other policies in response to changes in national policy and legislation.

Here you can view the display boards from the public consultation:

• Boards 1-7
• Boards 8-11
• Boards 12-17

Consultation response summaries

• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 Environment
• Chapter 3 Sustainable Pattern
• Chapter 4 Economy
• Chapter 5 Housing
• Chapter 6 Community Needs and Infrastructure
• Chapter 7 Weymouth
• Chapter 8 Portland
• Chapter 9 Littlemoor
• Chapter 10 Chickerell
• Chapter 11 Dorchester
• Chapter 12 Crossways
• Chapter 13 Bridport
• Chapter 14 Beaminster
• Chapter 15 Lyme Regis
• Chapter 16 Sherborne
• Chapter 17 Other Issues

Green Infrastructure Network

The Green Infrastructure Network (GI network) is a network that links areas used for; biodiversity, landscape, amenity and recreation.

These can apply to areas in rural or urban environment and can include; parks, open spaces, playing fields, woodlands, street trees, allotments, private gardens, streams, canals and other water bodies and features such as green roofs and walls. The Preferred Options consultation consulted on the proposed interactive GI network which can be viewed using the link to the consultation database.

Background papers

We produced a series of background papers to support the Issues and Options for the local plan review. As work progresses on the production of our "preferred options" these background papers will be updated to explain how consultation comments and new evidence have been taken into account.

Equalities statement

We have prepared an Equalities Impact Assessment for the public consultation on the Preferred Options document to ensure we are doing as much as we can to make the consultation accessible to everyone across West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland.

Sustainability appraisal

To support the Preferred Options consultation document, a sustainability appraisal has been produced which assesses the potential environmental, social and economic impacts associated with the draft policies, evaluates their overall performance in terms of sustainability, and suggests ways to reduce the adverse effects and maximise the beneficial effects of these policies. The reasons for selecting the Preferred Options, given the alternatives considered at the Issues and Options stage, are also provided in this report.

Supporting evidence

Issues and Options Consultation

We consulted on Issues and Options for the review of the Local Plan between 6 February and 3 April 2017. This consultation formed part of the regulation 18 consultation. Responses received during this period have now been processed and a summary of the responses made by organisations and individuals to the consultation has been produced. Comments submitted to the consultation can be viewed in full using our consultation response search. Comments are searchable by chapter and by individual/organisation. You can view responses made on the Issues and Options document and the Sustainability Appraisal.

The next stage is to work towards the production of a "preferred options" document. This will take into account the consultation responses made to the Issues and Options consultation. If you wish to be kept up to date on the progress of the review, please register on our planning policy consultation page.

• Issues and Options consultation document
• Sustainability Appraisal
• Information, research and evidence