Friday 11th September 2026 6:00pm — 7:00pm
Location: Weeley Village Hall
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Please see below a link to the documents and some information from Tendring District Council re the Local Plan Submission version:
Agenda for Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee on Tuesday, 25th August, 2026, 6.00 pm
Tendring District Council has voted to proceed to public consultation which is likely to begin as early as possible in September, to allow enough time following the consultation for the main issues from the responses to be understood and for the Local Plan to be submitted to the Secretary of State before the end of the year, which is an important deadline set by the Government.
Having taken into account the comments that were received in response to the last public consultation on the Preferred Options Draft and relevant updates to the technical evidence in support of the Local Plan, the Submission Version incorporates numerous revisions aimed at improving the Plan and addressing potential soundness issues. Notable changes include the deletion of proposed development allocations at Brightlingsea and Walton following consideration of consultation responses, updated evidence and further assessment of the planning merits of those sites, revisions to other housing and mixed-use development proposals in other parts of the District, and the strengthening of the wording in various planning policies.
However, because the Council still needs to comply with the Government’s mandatory housebuilding requirements, which require Tendring to grow by at least 18,173 homes between 2026 and 2043 at an annual rate almost double that proposed in the Council’s last Local Plan, the revised Plan will still include a number of proposals in parts of the District that the Council knows will not be popular locally and that will undoubtedly still attract public objections.
With that recognised and acknowledged, the Council has sought to produce a new Local Plan that responds to local circumstances whilst meeting challenging national policy requirements. Although difficult choices have been necessary, without an up-to-date Plan the District will remain vulnerable to unplanned and uncoordinated speculative planning proposals for housing development and a heightened risk of local planning decisions being overturned on appeal or the Government intervening in the planning process in other ways.
It is important to note that the purpose of the consultation on the Submission Draft is for residents, communities and other interested parties to comment on its legal compliance and soundness. The Planning Inspector will consider, through the examination process, all representations made during the consultation when determining whether the Plan is sound or whether any modifications are required before it can be adopted.
