Wandsworth’s Draft Local Plan 2023 – 2038 (Publication Version)

Overview

The Council is inviting comments on the second draft of the Local Plan, referred to as the ‘Publication’ version. The Local Plan sets out a vision and spatial strategy to guide the development of the borough from 2023, when the Plan is anticipated to be adopted, to 2038. It sets out key objectives for the borough, which are supported by planning policies, area strategies and – at the smallest scale – detailed guidance for the development of specific sites. Collectively, these identify where development should be targeted and set out how the borough’s neighbourhoods and places will change over the next 15 years.

This draft has been informed by the responses we received on the public consultation held on the first draft of the new Local Plan, referred to as the ‘Pre-Publication’ version, from 4 January to 1 March 2021, as well as by the findings of our updated evidence base, input from focused consultation events and feedback from colleagues across the Council.

The views of the community are at the heart of the planning process. The Publication version of the draft Local Plan is being made available for a public consultation for a period of seven weeks from Monday 10 January to Monday 28 February 2022. This consultation is the final opportunity to comment on the Local Plan before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

At this stage in the plan-making process, in accordance with national guidance, consultation responses should focus in particular on the draft Local Plan’s legal and procedural compliance, including the duty to co-operate, and the ‘soundness’ of the Plan. There are four different tests of ‘soundness’, which require the Local Plan to be:

• Positively prepared – it provides a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs and is informed by agreements with other authorities
• Justified – it is based on an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and is based on proportionate evidence
• Effective – it is deliverable over the plan period and is based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters
• Consistent with national policy – to enable the delivery of sustainable development

Alongside the draft Local Plan, we are also consulting on the following documents:

• Sustainability Appraisal – this document supports the draft Local Plan and assesses the extent to which it will help to achieve environment, economic and social objectives when judged against reasonable alternative options
• Policy Map Changes – this document explains how the map of the borough’s policy designations will change as a result of the draft Local Plan

Have your say

To view the draft Local Plan, supporting documents and the underlying evidence base, and for details how to respond, please visit our dedicated Draft Local Plan: Publication Version webpage. The consultation is open to everyone, irrespective of whether you have previously submitted comments. 

We look forward to hearing your views.

If you have any accessibility isues or need any of the materials in a different format please contact planningpolicy@wandsworth.gov.uk or call 020 8871 6000.

Next steps

Following the public consultation, the responses we receive will be collated and submitted – alongside the Local Plan and the supporting and relevant evidence base documents – to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State).  It is the role of PINS to examine the Local Plan to consider whether it meets the various tests of ‘soundness’, as well as for legal and procedural compliance with the relevant regulations. 

For more information on the timetable or the process of updating the Local Plan, please see the Draft Local Plan: Full Review webpage.