Issues and Options

1 Introduction

Our Local Plan

1.1 It is a legal requirement for councils to produce a 'Local Plan' for their area to guide future planning and development, and to make sure that the Local Plan is kept up to date. The purpose of the Local Plan is to deliver sustainable development and the coordinated provision of housing, jobs and infrastructure whilst best protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment. As well as being the blueprint for future growth in the area, Local Plans contain the rulebook of policies that councils follow in deciding whether or not to grant planning permission for different types of new development or changing the use of land or buildings.

1.2 Tendring District Council already has a Local Plan which was formally adopted in two sections, by its elected councillors, in January 2021 and January 2022 respectively. However, the Government requires councils to review and update their Local Plans every five years to ensure they remain up-to-date and effective, comply with latest national policy and are adjusted accordingly to respond to changing circumstances. The Council has already started work on reviewing the Local Plan for Tendring with the aim of completing all the necessary stages of the process so that an updated Plan can be submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination early in 2026. Public consultation and engagement are an essential part of the legal process of reviewing Local Plans and this Issues and Options Consultation Document has been prepared especially for what will be the first of at least three consultation exercises.

1.3 Through this Issues and Options consultation, the Council is inviting residents, businesses, community representatives, developers, landowners, and anyone else with an interest in the future of Tendring to put forward their views on what should be included in the updated Local Plan. In this document, the Council has highlighted, in as simple terms as possible, the main areas it thinks will need to be looked at again as part of the review and is inviting people to respond to a series of questions that relate to those particular areas. These areas most notably include:

• the overarching vision and objectives for the Local Plan that will shape the future of our district up to 2041 and beyond;
• the potential location for any additional housing or commercial development (over and above that already planned for in the existing current Local Plan) that might be required to meet longer-term projected needs and government requirements, particularly in the period 2033 to 2041;
• policies aimed at delivering the right mix of new homes including family housing, specialist housing (including for older people) and supported accommodation, affordable housing for people and families with lower incomes as well as opportunities for people to build their own homes;
• the approach to delivering new and improved infrastructure across our district to support the needs of a growing population and economy, including medical and health services; schools and other education provision; transport infrastructure (including walking, cycling and public transport as well as roads); open spaces, sports and leisure facilities; coastal defences; and utilities like drainage and sewerage;
• the policies and proposals aimed at maximising the economic potential of our district and creation of new jobs, particularly following the designation of a 'Freeport' around the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe (a government incentive aimed at boosting investment in the economy) and recognition of Tendring, by the Government, as an area for 'Levelling Up';
• the policies aimed at delivering energy-efficient homes and other buildings along with measures to reduce carbon emissions and contribute towards the global fight against climate change; and
• the policies aimed at protecting and enhancing wildlife habitats in the District, delivering and expanding upon new government requirements for 'biodiversity net gain'.

1.4 In December 2023, the Council's Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee agreed to commence the review of the Local Plan in line with a focussed set of 'overarching guiding principles' – with a key aim of updating, amending, improving, and carrying forward as much of the Council's current Local Plan as practical rather than re-writing it from scratch. This will maintain continuity around the approach going forward and make the most effective and efficient use of council resources and tax-payers money at a time of significant financial pressure. These overarching principles are referred to throughout this document and people are invited to comment on them in their responses to this consultation.

Issues and Options Consultation Document

1.5 The Issues and Options Consultation is one of the earliest stages of the review process, and is the first opportunity for residents, businesses, developers, and other interested parties to share their views with us. The main purpose of this document is to ensure the review of the Local Plan will cover the right issues and that all suitable options for accommodating change are considered.

1.6 The questions within this document ask about changes and updates to the existing Local Plan's policies. The adopted Local Plan can be viewed on the Council's website: www.tendringdc.gov.uk/localplan.

1.7 Because this is such an early stage of the review process, this document does not provide specific details of potential changes to policy wording or site development proposals. These will follow further work and consideration of the responses to this consultation – and will be presented later on in 2025, when we consult the public on preferred options.

1.8 The review of the Local Plan will follow a similar process as the preparation of the previously adopted Local Plan, including the same stages of public consultation. The timeline the Council is working towards is set out below and will be updated as the review progresses.

Local Plan Review Timeline

1.9 Once the updated Local Plan has been submitted to the Secretary of State, it will be examined by a government appointed Planning Inspector to determine whether it is sound and legally compliant. This examination will be held in public, and those who submit representations during public consultations will be invited to take part in hearing sessions if they wish.

Submitting Your Comments

1.10 This document asks specific questions about each of the key issues the Council has identified relating to the Local Plan Review. You can answer as many or as few of these focussed questions as you choose to, and at the end of the document we give you an opportunity to raise any other issues or comments you feel are relevant.

1.11 The consultation exercise will run for six weeks (3^rd March – 14^th April 2025) and all comments must be received before the close of consultation at 5pm on 14^th April 2025.

1.12 Please make sure that your response clearly sets out which question or subject each of your comments relate to. You must include your name and contact details, as anonymous responses will not be accepted. Please also note that following the close of the consultation and once all comments have been processed, all responses will be made publicly available.

1.13 We would encourage you to submit your response via this Consultation Portal. However, responses can also be submitted in writing to:

1.14 If you have any queries or problems in relation to the Local Plan Review Issues and Options Consultation, please contact the Planning Policy team by phone: 01255 686177 or email: planning.policy@tendringdc.gov.uk.

1.15 Following the close of the consultation exercise, the Planning Policy team will collate and summarise the representations received, and these will be reported to the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee before the Council makes a decision on what should be included in the new Local Plan. The comments will then be used alongside the evidence we will be gathering to produce the Local Plan 'Preferred Options Document' which will be published for another round of public consultation.