To temporary postpone a public consultation upon the Draft Part 1 Herefordshire Local Plan due to take place between 19 June and 8 September 2023 whilst a review is undertaken by Cabinet Member.

To make any necessary updates to the draft Plan prior to its publication to reflect the latest evidence or national planning policy position and corporate priorities.

It was proposed to undertake the public consultation from 19 June to 08 September. However, a review is now required to ensure that the plan meeting the corporate priorities following the elections on 4 May 2023.

The Herefordshire Local Plan - Core Strategy was adopted in 2015. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that local authorities should review their local plan every five years to determine if an update is required. Herefordshire Council resolved in November 2020 that an update of the Local Plan would be required.

Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) requires that public consultation takes place at key stages during the preparation of a Local Plan.

The new Local Plan will help shape growth and development across the county over the period from 2021 to 2041. The Plan will seek to ensure that we deliver the required homes, jobs, infrastructure and services to support growth in a way that is appropriate for the rural and historic character of the County.

During 2022 a series of public consultation exercises were undertaken upon:
• a range of potential options for the overall spatial strategy;
• key land use policy areas; and
• specific place based options for Hereford, each of the market towns and for rural areas.

The consultation responses, together with a range of evidence based studies have been used to develop a Draft Part 1 Local Plan. The Draft Plan as assembled effectively provides a preferred option at this stage of the plan making process but does not yet form Council policy.

The Draft Local Plan sets out:
1. A vision and set of objectives
2. The Spatial Strategy
3. A set of Strategic Policies
4. Place based policies for Hereford, each of the market towns and the rural areas.

However the spatial strategy and elements of policy may not be consistent with the priorities of the Council following the elections and a period of review is required with the Cabinet Member prior to publication.