Winchester City Council Local Plan - Strategic Issues & Priorities Consultation

Overview

Consultation on the Strategic Issues and Priorities document is an invitation for you to become involved in the next important stage of a conversation about our new Local Plan. The decisions made through the Local Plan will be of strategic importance for the district over the next 15 years and beyond. By working together we will create and protect our environment through the new Local Plan.

The Local Plan is one of the important tools in helping the district to become zero carbon by 2030.  It also sets the long term aims for our communities, our jobs and the environment. We are fully committed to supporting our local economy, planning for new homes and creating the right conditions to attract new jobs to grow our local economy. It is really essential that Carbon neutrality and the potential effects of climate change are a key element embedded into the development of our new Local Plan.  

All of our lives have been, and continue to be affected by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.  The long term impacts of the crisis are still emerging and every indication is that it is likely that the long term impacts will be felt for many years to come.  The measures that were put in place by the Government to try and slow down the pandemic have resulted in some strong environmental and social insights for spatial planning. 

Why your views matter

We really want everyone to be central to the process and help us create our new Local Plan that will set out the future of the district. This initial consultation is only just the beginning of the journey (as it is in advance of the full consultation under ‘Regulation 18’).  The document identifies the issues that we all think the new Local Plan needs to address, building on the evidence base and our experience of the past year. In addition to seeking your comments on this document, you will be able to look at a new Local Plan website that will have a copy of the strategic issues and priorities document which will enable you to answer questions on some of the key issues and specific issues that are of interest to you. 

As a part of the consultation we will be hosting some virtual events. If you would like to attend please register you interest below:

4^th March at 2pm

9^th March at 7pm 

12^th March at 10am

20^th March at 10:30am

We really do hope that everyone will really want to be part of our Local Plan journey and you are able to give some of your valuable time to respond to this consultation and help to shape the future of the district.