Local Plan - Submission Version (Regulation 19)

Consultation Information

Consultation Documents

About this Consultation

Tendring District Council is reviewing the Tendring District Local Plan to ensure it remains up to date, effective, and capable of guiding development in the District through to 2043 and beyond.

The Council is now publishing the Tendring District Local Plan Review 2026-2043 and Beyond: Submission Version, together with the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) for consultation under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

This is the final formal opportunity for residents, businesses, community organisations, landowners, developers, and all other interested parties to comment on the Plan before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

At this stage, representations should focus on whether the Local Plan is legally compliant and meets the tests of soundness set out in national planning policy. Comments on matters outside the scope of these considerations may carry limited weight in the examination process.

Only representations submitted during this Regulation 19 consultation period will be considered by the independent Planning Inspector as part of the examination of the Plan.

Consultation Period

The consultation runs from Monday 7 September 2026 to 5pm on Monday 19 October 2026.

Viewing the Consultation Documents

Please use the Table of Contents at the top of this page to navigate through the different chapters of the Submission Version of the Local Plan.

Paper copies of the consultation documents are available for inspection during normal opening hours at:

• Public libraries across the District
• Clacton Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, CO15 1SE

How to Make a Representation

To submit a representation online, you will need to create an account or sign in using your email address. Your details are stored securely so that they only need to be provided once. 

Representations can be submitted using the Comment buttons throughout the Local Plan document.

The consultation portal allows you to:

• Submit comments on specific policies and sections of the Plan
• Upload supporting documents
• Provide a summary of their representations

Additional guidance is available in the help section located at the bottom of each page. 

If you are unable to respond online

• Paper response forms are available at public libraries and at Clacton Town Hall.
• An offline version of the representation form can be downloaded and printed.

Completed paper forms should be returned to: 

Planning Policy
Tendring District Council
Town Hall
Station Road
Clacton-on-Sea
CO15 1SE 

or emailed to: planning.policy@tendringdc.gov.uk.

All representations must be received by 5pm on Monday 19 October 2026.

What Your Representation Should Cover

At this stage, representations should relate to whether the Local Plan is:

• Legally compliant, and/or
• Sound, meaning it is: 
  • Positively prepared
  • Justified
  • Effective
  • Consistent with national policy

Your representation should clearly identify:

• The relevant part(s) of the Plan
• Whether the representation relates to legal compliance or soundness
• The reason for the representation
• Any modifications you consider necessary to make the Plan legal compliant or sound

Consultation Events

The Council will be holding a series of public drop-in events where Planning Officers will be available to explain the proposals and assist with the consultation proces

Deadline for Responses

All representations must be received by 5pm on Monday 19^th October 2026.

Representations received after this deadline may not be accepted.

What Happens to Your Representation?

All representations received by the deadline will:

• Be submitted to the Secretary of State alongside the Local Plan
• Form part of the examination evidence base
• Be considered by the independent Planning Inspector
• Be made publicly available

Anonymous representations cannot be accepted.

When representations are published, the Council will publish:

• Your name (or organisation name) will be published.
• The content of your representation 

No other personal details will be made public.

Personal data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018

and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Further information is available in the Council’s Privacy Notice at: https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/privacy.

Anyone submitting a representation during this consultation will be added to the Council’s Local Plan consultation database and kept informed of future stages of the Plan’s progress. If you wish to be removed from the database, please contact the Planning Policy Team.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The Council may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist in producing summaries of the content of representations submitted during Local Plan consultations. These tools are only used to summarise the themes and issues raised and are used in accordance with the Council’s Artificial Intelligence Best Practice Approach document. AI will not be used to analyse or make decisions based on any personal data, and all consultation-related Local Plan decision-making will be undertaken by Council officers and elected Members of the Council.

What Happens Next?

Following the consultation period, the Council will:

• Submit the Submission Version of the Local Plan and all duly made representations to the Secretary of State
• Notify anyone who has requested to be informed when the Plan is submitted for examination

Independent Examination

An independent Planning Inspector will be appointed to examine the Local Plan and determine:

• Whether the Plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements; and
• Whether it is sound

People who submit representations during this Regulation 19 consultation may be invited by the Inspector to participate in examination hearing sessions.

Further Information

If you require further information or assistance, please contact the Planning Policy Team:

Telephone: (01255) 686177

Email: planning.policy@tendringdc.gov.uk