Central Lancashire Local Plan: Issues & Options Consultation

People across central Lancashire are being consulted on options within the local plan to meet the needs of people and businesses.

We need residents’ help to make sure we have a plan for Central Lancashire that creates good quality places to live, work and relax over the next 15 years.

People need good quality homes as these can improve the health of communities. We need you to tell us how we can improve our area for future generations, ensuring new development in Central Lancashire provides community benefit and reduces the impacts of climate change by being carbon neutral by 2030.

We want to find out how you think people’s quality of life can be improved. How do we encourage people to use their car less and make walking, cycling and public transport everyday choices? Without your ideas we cannot create a plan that meets the needs of local people and businesses.

The three Central Lancashire authorities – Preston, South Ribble and Chorley – have come together to deliver jointly the Central Lancashire Local Plan and the consultation exercise, which runs from Monday 18 November 2019 until Friday 14 February 2020.

The Local Plan includes strategic planning policies for determining development and protecting sites. In an earlier consultation, people put forward small and medium sized sites that could be ready for development, and now the team need opinions on those sites. At the same time we need more site suggestions, especially small and medium sized sites and sites to deliver employment opportunities.

Officers from all three central Lancashire councils will be at various venues across the county in the coming weeks seeking opinions on the issues and options raised when planning for our future. Alternatively, views can be given via the dedicated website and consultation documents will be available at local libraries across the county.

Chris Hayward, Director of Development at Preston City Council, said:

“Public consultation is a crucial part of developing our local plan – this is another opportunity to get involved in the future of your area.

“A local plan is hugely important to residents and businesses. It enables councils and planners to identify key opportunities and to forward plan. Key sites have been identified, and now we want your opinions on what can be developed in the coming years.

“We are pleased to be working in partnership with South Ribble and Chorley to develop the local plan for the needs of the wider Central Lancashire area, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the needs, opportunities and challenges.”

Jonathan Noad, Director of Planning and Property at South Ribble Borough Council, added:

“South Ribble residents have a vital part to play in deciding the future development of the borough – that is why I want to encourage people to get involved in this consultation before the deadline in February next year.

“Your opinions on the ideas put forward now will help to shape the look and feel of Central Lancashire for the next 15 years – so this is obviously an important process.

“Of course, we are not alone in this process, and I look forward to working with our neighbours in Chorley and Preston once again.”

Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive at Chorley Council, said:

“We know areas for future development in the borough are of real importance to residents and businesses as they can have a big impact on their lives.

“By opening up this process it gives people a chance to give us their thoughts – both for areas that need developing and those that they want to see protected – so that any future development can be used to benefit our borough whether that’s by building homes for future generations or by creating new jobs for local people.

“I’d urge everyone to take time to look at the consultation and feed in your comments so we can come up with a Local Plan that is fit for the future.

“We are working with our neighbouring councils at Preston and South Ribble so we can take account of the wider Central Lancashire area and make sure that any development is spread appropriately across the three boroughs.”

The Issues & Options consultation runs from Monday 18 November 2019 until Friday 14 February 2020.

For more information on the Central Lancashire Local Plan and to give your views, visit the Central Local Plan website.