Stevenage Borough Local Plan

Developing Stevenage

The Stevenage Borough Local Plan sets out how Stevenage will develop in the future. The plan seeks to provide around 7,600 new homes, alongside new jobs and community facilities. It provides the basis for the regeneration of our town centre, which includes plans for new homes, shops, offices, coffee bars, restaurants and seeks to create a centre people can be proud of. It also protects green infrastructure and historic assets, to ensure people can continue to have a good quality of life in the town.

These documents are also available for inspection (free of charge) during normal opening hours at the Stevenage Borough Council Offices on Danestrete, Stevenage Central Library, Southgate and the Old Town Library, 38 High Street.

Holding Direction

The holding direction on the Stevenage Borough Local Plan was lifted on 25 March 2019 by Rt. Hon James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

On Monday 13 November 2017 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government issued a direction under section 21a of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (inserted by section 145(5) of the Housing and Planning Act 2016) to us not to take any step in connection with the adoption of the Core Strategy. This holding direction has been triggered by a request from Stephen McPartland MP to intervene in the Stevenage Borough Local Plan.

Inspector's Report

The Inspectors Report was received by us on 18 October 2017. The report concluded that with the Main Modifications proposed (as contained in the Appendix to the Report), the Stevenage Borough Local Plan can be considered sound and is therefore capable of adoption.

The Local Plan was examined by an independent Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, between January and March 2017. 

The Inspector published a list of proposed Main Modifications to the submitted Plan which she considered were required to make the plan sound. We updated our Sustainability Appraisal of the Plan to incorporate the Main Modifications.

Some minor modifications (not subject to consultation), were also proposed to the Stevenage Borough Local Plan and the Policies Map.

The responses to the consultation were forwarded to the Inspector for her consideration.

Stevenage Borough Local Plan: Submission

The Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 21 July 2016. The next stage is for a public examination to be held. We have provided further details on the examination process

The submission documents are available to view at the Stevenage Borough Council Offices on Danestrete, Stevenage Central Library, Southgate and the Old Town Library, 38 High Street.

If you have any queries with regard to the submission of the Local Plan, please contact the Planning Policy Team.

The publication version consultation on the Local Plan opened on Wednesday 6 January 2016 and closed on Wednesday 17 February 2016.

This is the final version of the Plan; the version that we wish to submit to the Planning Inspectorate.

You can also view the consultation documents on our online portal

The results of the publication consultation were reported to the Executive in July 2016. The Regulation 22 Consultation Statement provides a summary of all consultation carried out on the Local Plan. A summary of all responses to the most recent consultation is provided below (this also details how these comments have been considered by officers). Please note - this has been subject to minor amendments since Executive.

The Sustainability Appraisal has also been updated to reflect comments made on the Local Plan.

Housing numbers consultation

The consultation on a revised housing target for the local plan opened on Monday 22 June 2015 and closed on Monday 27 July 2015.

Following the first consultation on the local plan in 2013, it became clear that we would need to carry out more work on our housing target before we could write a full draft of the plan. There are several reasons for this, including under-counting of Stevenage’s population and changes in national policy and guidance.

The results of the first consultation were reported to the Executive in December 2015. The Statement of Consultation provides a summary.

First consultation

The first consultation on our new local plan opened on Tuesday 11 June 2013 and closed on Monday 22 July 2013.

This consultation identified the main issues that we will need to deal with in the new local plan. It set out the options that we are considering and what we propose to do.

The results of the first consultation were reported to the Executive in July 2014. The Statement of Consultation provides a summary:

Environmental Assessment

We are required by law to consider the likely economic, environmental and social effects of our new plan

Evidence studies

The new local plan will be informed by a wide range of Evidential Studies

Statement of Community Involvement

The Statement of Community Involvement says how we will involve you when we prepare our plans.

Local Development Scheme

We have to complete a number of stages before we can adopt and use our new local plan. The timetable for this is set in a document called the Local Development Scheme