A report from independent Planning Inspectors has paved the way for Tendring District Council (TDC) to adopt a new Local Plan.
Section Two of TDC’s Local Plan was the subject of an online two-week public hearing earlier in the year. This led to a series of main modifications put forward by TDC to the Planning Inspectors which went out for a six-week public consultation over the summer.
This latest report from the Planning Inspectors follows consideration of the comments made, and states that the document can be found legally sound subject to formal adoption of the main modifications with some minor amendments.
Nick Turner, Chairman of the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee, welcomed the Inspectors’ letter.
“This is resounding good news for Tendring, meaning that subject to the final few steps required to formally adopt our Local Plan we now have a definitive shape to the growth of our district for the coming decade,” Cllr Turner said.
“Not only does this strengthen our hand against rogue developers who may wish to build on areas we consider inappropriate, but also gives us impetus to move towards a sustainable future.
“I heartily thank all of our officers who have been working diligently over many years now – for this is not a short process – to get us to this point, along with my fellow councillors who play a key role throughout in shaping and scrutinising the process.”
A Local Plan is a strategic blueprint document setting out how development should take place across the district for the future, with the emerging Local Plan for Tendring covering the period until 2033.
Section One of the Local Plan, submitted jointly by TDC along with Colchester Borough Council and Braintree District Council and looking at strategic planning matters, has already been examined, approved and adopted.
Section Two, unique to Tendring, provides more detail on where housing and other development will take place within the district.
The Planning Inspectors’ letter will now be considered by TDC’s Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee on 11 January and onto Cabinet before going to full council on 25 January for a vote on adoption – with all of the above meetings to be held at Clacton Town Hall.
