Councillors in Guildford have agreed to move forward with plans to update the Local Plan.
Guildford Borough Council’s executive approved a proposal to progress with an update to the plan, adopted in 2019, which will now go to full council on February 21 for final approval.
If approved the council will look again at the housing, retail and commercial needs of the borough.
Lead councillor for planning, Cllr Fiona White, said: “There have been a lot of changes to the way we live since the existing plan was adopted in 2019 which is why it needs to be updated to reflect the way we run our lives now.
“I want to reassure residents that this does not mean our existing Local Plan will become redundant should council agree to an update process. It will remain the primary consideration in determining development applications in the borough.
“An update to the plan needs to be based on evidence. We are in the very early stages of deciding what evidence we need and the best way of gathering it, but regular updates and any significant developments will be communicated promptly.
“We are committed to transparency at every stage of this process. We understand the importance of keeping our residents informed about timelines and key milestones. I encourage residents to stay engaged and, at the appropriate time, to share your thoughts with us.”
If approved at full council, the first step will be to consider the budget, timetable and scope of work required. That work is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year when more clarity on Government’s approach to planning reform is expected.
Image: davidhc, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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