Thanet Local Plan, Adopted 2020 & other policy documents

The draft Local Plan was published on 23 August 2018 (under Reg 19 of the Local Planning England Regulations 2012). The period for comments closed on Thursday 4 October. 

In August, the Council also published:

• a Sustainability Appraisal (SA)and Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA);
• a draft Transport Strategy (the result of joint work with Kent County Council);
• a Landscape Character Assessment (with the intention of adopting it as a supplementary planning document
• View Frequently Asked Questions here

Various reports and supporting evidence have also been published.

The new Local Plan will cover the district right up to 2031.

This will replace the Saved Policies from the 2006 Local Plan.

The Local Plan needs to be based on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence about the economic, social and environmental characteristics and prospects of Thanet. The evidence we have collected, and will continue to collect includes specific studies and a variety of statistical and other information.

The process for producing a Local Plan is set out in national law and regulations. The Local Plan has to be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval and a public examination will be held by an independent Planning Inspector.

The responses to the public consultation are now available view

We received about 1,800 sets of comments, with a total of some 40,000 individual points of response to the consultation questions.

Since the end of the consultation we have been processing all of the comments received and reviewing any changes to be made to the plan as a result.  The comments and any proposed changes will be considered by Council Committees in due course. Any changes made to the draft Plan will need to follow Government guidance, as the Plan will be tested through a Public Examination, led by an independent Planning Inspector.

The Council is also reviewing elements of the Local Plan evidence base which may result in changes to the draft Plan.

Call for Sites February 2018

Earlier this year, the Council invited people to identify any further sites that may be available for development.

You can view the list of sites here

They are not listed in any particular order, and the details and maps are shown as they were submitted.

Issues and Options Consultation June 2013

We carried out a consultation on the Issues and Options for the new Local Plan between 3 June and 14 August 2013. This consultation considered options around how much development is needed in Thanet and broadly where this should go, as well as options in relation to detailed policies on housing, employment, environment, quality of life and transport.

You can view the consultation documentation on our consultation portal:

https://consult.thanet.gov.uk/consult.ti/TLP2031Options/consultationHome

Thank you to all of those who took part in the consultation.

We received responses from about 150 individuals and organisations, including residents, businesses, interest groups, statutory consultees and landowners.

We have produced a summary of the responses received:

• Summary of responses received to Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation 3 June to 14 August 2013

We have also produced summaries of the feedback received at events held during the consultation:

• Local Plan Conference 21 June 2013
• Local Plan Focus Group 30 July 2013

We will consider the main issues raised in response to the consultation in order to inform the development of the Local Plan.

Update March 2015

The Draft Thanet Local Plan to 2031 Preferred Options Consultation January 2015 ran from 8th January to 6th March 2015. Responses from the consultation will be considered over the next few months and a summary of responses produced.

Update November 2014

The Thanet Local Plan Preferred Options document will go before the Extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Thursday 11 December 2014.

The Draft Thanet Local Plan to 2031 Preferred Options – Proposed Consultation Document was discussed at the Local Plan Cabinet Advisory Group meeting on Tuesday 18 November 2014.

The Thanet Preferred Option Draft Local Plan went before the Overview and Scrutiny Panel on Thursday 27 November 2014.

Proposed timetable and milestones for the Thanet Local Plan

Proposed Timetable Local Plan V2

Update June 2014

We have been continuing to work towards a public consultation on a preferred option draft Local Plan. This will set out the Council’s preferred strategy for growth and development in the area, identify specific sites for development, and include specific policies for consultation.

We have considered the main issues arising from the comments received to the issues and options consultation and are taking these into account in determining the preferred strategy and options for the Local Plan.

Work assessing future sites for development  is currently being finalised through an updated Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and Employment Land Review.

We have been liaising with relevant service providers to understand the infrastructure requirements associated with new development, including assessing the impact of development on the highway network and identifying potential solutions. From this we will be producing an Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Transport Strategy.

The next consultation was planned for Summer 2014, however following the closure of Manston Airport, the Council now has to consider the impact this may have on the Local Plan and the timetable for its production.

The council is seeking advice and working on what steps will need to be taken to progress with the next stages of the Local Plan.

This page will be updated once the council has a revised schedule and with details of the next steps.

Please read the Council’s ‘latest statement regarding Manston’

Publication and Pre-submission Consultation

Following the Preferred Option Draft Local Plan consultation the Council will consider all comments received and make any changes considered necessary to the Plan. The Council will then publish and carry out a further consultation which presents the Council’s final draft of its new Local Plan, prior to the Plan’s submission to the Secretary of State.

This consultation closed on 6th March 2015.

Responses are now available to view

It is vital that we get the views of the public and other stakeholders to inform the development of the new Local Plan.

The quickest and easiest way for you to respond is through our online consultation portal. You will need to register to comment.

If you have already registered during a previous consultation simply enter your username and password.

If you wish to take part in and be notified of future consultations please log into our consultation site.

Please be advised that comments submitted to us will be made public along with your name and the name of the organisation you are representing (if relevant). Your address and any other personal details you provide to us will remain confidential.

There is further advice in our step-by-step guide to using the online consultation system.

A copy of the Draft Thanet Local Plan to 2031 can be downloaded from our consultation site. You can also view a summary leaflet or the presentation that has been shown at the drop-in sessions.

Quick summary of what the plan says

• We have a flexible strategy in order to provide for 5,000 additional jobs across all sectors of the economy including tourism, leisure and the green economy

• The airport and surrounding area is proposed as an opportunity area for which the council will prepare an Area Action Plan to guide its future development

• The housing provision over the plan period is 12,000 additional homes

• Development will be focused in accessible areas with existing infrastructure and services, either within or on the edge of existing urban areas.

• Greenfield housing allocations are proposed at Westwood, Birchington, Westgate-on-Sea and Manston Green

• Important countryside, open spaces, heritage and the built and natural environment will be protected for their character and contribution to sense of place • The green wedges that separate Thanet’s towns will be protected

• A new parkway station is promoted for wider economic benefit to the district

Consultation Events were held during January and February

Tuesday 13 January – 1pm to 7pm at The Centre, Birchington

Wednesday 21 January – 1pm to 7pm at Broadstairs Baptist Church, Broadstairs

Thursday 29 January – 1pm to 7pm at Customs House, Ramsgate

Saturday 31 January – 9am to 5pm at Westwood Cross

Tuesday 3 February – 1pm to 7pm at Hartsdown Leisure Centre, Margate

Tuesday 10 February – 12pm to 2pm at The Gateway, Margate

The consultation closed at MIDNIGHT on Friday 6 March 2015.

Please be advised that comments submitted to us will be made public along with your name and the name of the organisation you are representing (if relevant). Your address and any other personal details you provide to us will remain confidential.

What happens next?

Based on comments received the next version of the plan will be written and submitted to the Secretary of State. A further “pre-submission” consultation will be held at this stage. The plan will go through an examination where an Inspector will consider whether the plan has been positively prepared, and that its policies are justified, effective, pass the legal tests and conform with national policy. Adoption of the Plan Following the examination the Inspector may recommend changes to the plan. At this stage a further consultation will be carried out. The council will then adopt the Thanet Local Plan which will form part of the development plan for Thanet to 2031.

Proposed Revision Draft Local Plan (Preferred Option) 2017