Review of Rutland Local Plan needed following government’s planning policy changes
Our cabinet has received a report detailing the impact of government changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and what this means for our Local Plan
Rutland County Council’s cabinet has considered a report dealing with significant changes to the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the effect this will have on local planning processes, as well as Rutland’s emerging Local Plan.
National changes published by the UK government in December 2024 include a revised methodology for calculating Local Housing Need (LHN), which now requires Rutland to address a significantly higher housing target. The updated figure, based on the government’s new formula, sees the county's LHN rise from 123 dwellings per annum to 266 dwellings per annum.
While the council is able to take its submitted Local Plan forward for independent examination and adoption, it has committed to producing a new plan to face the challenge of meeting these figures within the new NPPF.
“Due to the new National Planning Policy Framework and the revised calculation of Rutland’s Local Housing Need (LHN) together with the latest published Housing Delivery Test figure for Rutland, the council is now unable to demonstrate a five-year Housing Land Supply.
“The council is dedicated to ensuring sustainable growth and development within the region, in line with national and local priorities. We are therefore making arrangements to commence work on a new plan to account for these recent changes to the government’s National Planning Policy Framework and our revised Local Housing Need.”
Councillor Paul Browne, Cabinet Member for Planning
Cabinet on Tuesday 8 April considered a series of recommendations and agreed to commence work on a new Local Plan under the government’s recently revised plan-making system, to address the newly created shortfall in Rutland’s housing need. This will ensure a planned approach in Rutland to deal with the implications of the government’s proposals.
The estimate at present is that the new plan will need to make provision for a further 3,800 dwellings (additional to the planned provision in the emerging plan) to be provided in an extended plan period. The council’s emerging Local Plan acknowledges St.George’s Barracks and Woolfox as Future Opportunity Areas that could help meet Rutland’s housing and employment requirements, although further work is needed to properly explore the potential of both sites.
“The new requirements placed on us by government mean that Rutland must look to build more homes each year than at any point in its recent history. Starting swiftly on a revised Local Plan is the best way to respond to this challenge. We have some large sites in the county that might be able to accommodate growth, but each has its potential constraints to be considered. It’s important that we continue to engage with the owners of these sites and the existing communities around them as part of this next plan.”
Cllr Paul Browne