Local Government: Reorganisation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to issue guidance to newly created local councils who inherit areas at different stages of the local plan-making process and have not adopted a local plan.
Answered by Alison McGovern
The government expects local planning authorities to work towards the adoption of an up-to-date local plan as soon as possible. Local government reorganisation should not hinder this essential work.
The legal status of local plans is not impacted by local government reorganisation. Where reorganisation occurs, new unitary authorities are expected to promptly prepare a local plan covering the whole of their area. Until that new plan is adopted, existing constituent local plans remain in force as part of the development plan for their area. New unitary authorities will have the discretion to progress emerging constituent local plans.
A new legal framework for local-plan making will be introduced later this year. Significant financial assistance has already been provided to eligible authorities to support plan-making and authorities should make the most of other support available through the Local Government Association’s Planning Advisory Service.
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