(80) 2 The Local Plan and Consultation Process

2.1 The consultation period for this revised development Strategy runs for just over 6 weeks from 14 June to 29 July 2013.

2.2 Please read carefully the proposals set out in this document and the justification for them. If you want to find out more, come along to one of the consultation events that are taking place during June and July 2013 and if you have any comments on the proposals, please submit these using one of the options explained on the back cover of this document.

2.3 This consultation is part of a wider process for preparing the New Local Plan.

Previous stages have included:

• 2011: Consultation on Issues and Objectives and Options for Levels of Growth.
• Preparation of evidence covering Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA); a review of Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA); Review of Employment Land; Affordable Housing; Green Infrastructure; Landscape; Climate Change and Transport.
• 2012: Local Plan Preferred Options covering all aspects of the new Local Plan including preferred Level of Growth, preferred Development Sites, and proposals for how the Local Plan policies might be developed.
• Preparation of updated evidence covering Housing requirements; economic forecasts; employment land; sports facilities and pitches; landscape; Gypsy and Traveller accommodation requirements; strategic flood risk; transport and Infrastructure.

2.4 Following this consultation, the next steps will be:

• Analyse the consultation responses.
• Complete work on a Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment (see 1.3 on page 4).
• Take account of the consultation responses and the Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment to prepare a Submission Draft Local Plan.
• The latest Government statisical release is used as an important part of the evidence base for the requirements for housing and associated services.
• Undertake consultation on village site options.
• Undertake a further round of consultation on the Submission Draft Plan.
• Submit a final draft of the Local Plan to the Government's Planning Inspectorate.
• Participate in an Examination in Public presided over by an independent Planning Inspector.
• Receive the Inspector's report.
• Adopt the Local Plan.

2.5 The timescales for the steps described in 2.4 are currently unknown and are really dependent on how quickly the outcomes of the Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment can be resolved.