There is to be no new Joint Local Plan. At least, not for now. Instead yesterday members of the Council’s Executive unanimously voted to continue with what we’ve got after Cllr Dan Thomas told them:

‘Following a comprehensive review the five year review clearly sets out that our JLP remains up to date and sound and can continue to be the starting point for making planning decisions based on our local planning policies and a strategy going forward.’

Cllr Mark Long, Executive member and Chair of the Council’s Development Management Committee agreed.

‘It’s a robust assessment and an excellent response, he said. ‘And I think what we’ve seen with the JLP, even if we’ve got criticisms of it and we believe that areas of it are weak, it has provided us with the strength to respond in planning in a very definite way.’

The reason for the delay was, as Cllr Thomas explained:

'There are very many changes taking place nationally which are going to change the planning system nationally following the publication of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act. We’re still awaiting the secondary legislation to set out the process by which our Joint Local Plan will be reviewed and developed going forward to ensure that local matters continue to be at the heart of our planning strategy.

‘In the intervening period,’ he added, ‘knowing that our Point Local Plan continues to be here to secure the right development is delivered and to provide a framework to help resist inappropriate development is really important.’

You can watch the debate here.