We are inviting residents and businesses to have their say on proposals to create a new Local Plan which will affect the built and natural environment and provide housing and employment in the borough.
When is the consultation?
The first stage of the consultation on the updated Kirklees Local Plan will open
25 November 2024 and run until 28 February 2025, giving residents plenty of time to share their opinions. This consultation asks people to give their views on what they would like to see in a Local Plan.
What is a Local Plan?
A Local Plan sets out how the we will manage all kinds of development. Its aim is to set out development plans and planning guidance which support businesses to thrive and create jobs, giving local people the best opportunity to lead prosperous and healthy lives, and to create space for enough homes in the district so that people can choose where they want to live, and have a home which suits their lifestyle. At the same time, it supports our ambition of being net zero and climate-ready by 2038, by prioritising a greener Kirklees.
By law, all local councils must adopt a Local Plan, which sets out how much and where land can be developed to meet the needs of local people and businesses. When the Kirklees Local Plan was first adopted in 2019, we committed to reviewing the plan within five years, to ensure it was still fit for purpose. The following years saw the announcement of the Climate Emergency, the Covid-19 pandemic, and great impact on the local and national economy. When we undertook this review last year, it was determined that the Local Plan would require a full update, taking into account these major changes as well as updating housing supply, employment land delivery, the supply of jobs and climate change.
Once adopted, the new Local Plan will continue to govern how all planning applications are assessed.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance & Regeneration, says:
“This new Local Plan will set out a planning framework until 2043, with its impact felt for generations to come, so it’s important to make sure that we get it right. This early engagement will help us consider how we can best support the health and well-being of our residents, support our local economy to be sustainable and resilient, and how we can effectively deliver our housing needs while meeting our climate goals.
“There are many challenges ahead, including how we can deliver the required number of new homes, and plan for jobs in a sustainable way whilst ensuring that we protect and enhance the qualities at the heart of Kirklees’ character.
“Once complete, this plan will bring huge benefits for everyone who lives and works in Kirklees. We’ll be engaging with the public every step of the way on this because what we’re working for is the future of our district.
“Given the importance of the local plan and its impact on everyone I would urge people to get involved we really do want this plan to be a peoples plan and that can only happen if people engage with the process over the coming years.”
What affects the Local Plan?
Potential changes in national planning policy anticipate that the numbers of new homes required in the future will be higher than the housing requirement of 1,730 new homes per year which is set out in the current Local Plan. This is based on the government’s commitment to get Britain building again.
In addition to the housing and employment opportunities outlined in the Local Plan, other considerations are that it must consider community needs and promote healthy, safe communities, including provision for social, recreational, and cultural facilities as well as the promotion of sustainable transport.
How can I get involved?
Residents and local businesses can comment throughout the three-month consultation. The comments, alongside updated evidence on Kirklees issues, will inform draft policies and options for the location of development. There will be a first opportunity to consider these through further early engagement before the council issues a draft of the new Local Plan for consultation later in 2025, with a complete draft of the Local Plan ready for a final consultation in 2026, before it is submitted to the government for examination.
For more details and to provide feedback, please visit the Local Plan webpage https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/planning-policy/local-plan.aspx.