West Berkshire Council Local Plan Review Update
In August 2021, West Berkshire Council announced they were obliged to postpone the West Berkshire Council Local Plan Review due to the Government announcing changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The changes required them to prepare a Local Plan Review (LPR) detailing a 30-year vision, rather than the existing LPR that detailed plans until 2037 following an initial consultation (Regulation 18 consultation) that finished in February this year.
At the time of the announcement, West Berkshire sought independent legal advice and it was clear that additional work would be needed in order to support the new requirements. Consequently they had no alternative but to pause production of the current Local Plan Review in order to meet the framework for the future developments of an area.
West Berkshire Council are now in a position to confirm that the LPR will go to Council in the summer of 2022 prior to submission to the Secretary of State in early 2023. There will also be a formal period of consultation in the summer of 2022 that will allow residents and businesses to have their say.