A more in depth look

The initial Integrated Impact Assessment report is available to download below.

We are inviting comments on this report. You can have your say on Citizen Space between 15 February and the end of the day on 12 April 2021. Responses can be provided on the online questionnaire here.

The Government has highlighted its ongoing commitment to the plan led system and has now made changes to the Standard Methodology for the immediate future, which does not change the requirement for Winchester District in terms of the number of homes we need to plan for. However, there remains uncertainty about whether changes to the Methodology that were proposed in the Planning White Paper will be taken forward at some point.  

The White Paper includes a number of other significant changes. These include a new style of plan (more digitally based and interactive), to be produced in less time than the current system with early engagement with all interested parties. It also proposes introduction of a zoning type approach to the allocation of land for future development (providing more certainty for developers and communities at the plan making stage) and wider use of design codes to  ensure development achieves high standards of design to deliver beautiful places. The White Paper proposes to abolish the requirement to carry out a Sustainability Appraisal and the Duty to Cooperate (consulting with neighbouring local authorities when making a new Local Plan which helps deal with cross border planning matters).  The reforms may also mean that most policies that deal with more specific planning issues are set nationally rather than included in the Local Plan as is currently the case. Corresponding changes are proposed to the development management part of the system (applications seeking permission to develop sites) as well as to the way infrastructure  and affordable housing is provided by replacing the Community Infrastructures Levy and planning agreements for development sites with a new Infrastructure Levy.

Given that the production of the Local Plan is at a very early stage in the process, the City Council wants to be in a robust position to be able to work within either the existing or reformed systems as it is not clear when changes to the plan making envisaged in the planning White Paper will be introduced. The SIP consultation will enable us to do this. 

Whatever form or shape the new Local Plan takes there is the opportunity to have early stakeholder involvement.  In order to assist the City Council with this transition period a Local Plan Action Plan was agreed at Cabinet in December 2020.

The Local Development Scheme (LDS) is where we set out the timetable for production of the new Local Plan and this will be updated periodically. It is available here.

The Government’s White Paper refers to the retention of the role of Neighbourhood Planning although greater clarity is required on how Neighbourhood Planning fits into the proposed changes to the planning system.   

At the moment the only Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) there is in the district is that produced by Denmead Parish Council. Discussions with the Parish Council have indicated that they are intending to update their NDP alongside the preparation of the new Local Plan. 

Twyford Parish Council is also currently in the process of preparing a NDP but because the whole of the parish of Twyford is within the boundary of the South Downs National Park the process for preparing and bringing the NDP into effect is being dealt with by the national park authority.  

Hursley Parish Council have also just started work on a preparing a NDP.