New Local Plan

A new plan-making system for England came into effect on 25 March 2026. Under this system, local plan preparation is expected to follow a prescribed process and should be completed within a maximum of 30 months from start to submission. However, the Planning Inspector’s Report requires Spelthorne to prepare and submit a new Local Plan for examination within 24 months of adopting the previous plan. The Local Plan timetable reflects this requirement accordingly.

How new local plans work

Local plans have often been complex and taken a long time to prepare. On average, they have taken 7 years from start to finish.

The new system aims to reduce this time taken, it also introduces steps to simplify the process, including National Development Management Policies and a simpler approach to preparing plans, what they must contain, and when you can get involved.

There are three phases:

• pre-commencement stage
• formal plan-making stage
• submission and examination stage

Pre-commencement stage

At this stage, we are gathering evidence, preparing a project plan and other key documents to keep the plan on track and meet statutory timescales. After we publish the timetable and the ‘notice of intention to prepare a local plan’, we must wait at least four months before publishing the Gateway 1 self-assessment. During this time, we must carry out a formal consultation. This is a scoping consultation. We ask for views on what the local plan should contain and how people want to take part.

The consultation is now running for six weeks from 22 June 2026 until 3 August 2026 at 11.59pm. For more information on this scoping consultation and how to get involved and submit responses, please visit the engagement hub : https://spelthornelocalplan.commonplace.is/ 

You can also view the Scoping Statement below:

Spelthorne Local Plan (2028-2043) Scoping Consultation

Formal plan-making stage

The formal plan-making stage starts when we publish the Gateway 1 self-assessment. This is a summary of how ready we are to prepare the new local plan.

The Gateway 1 self-assessment must include details about readiness:

• project management and governance arrangements
• the timetable for the preparation of the plan
• how we plan to consult and engage with our stakeholders and the wider community
• set out the anticipated local plan content
• environmental assessments

We must publish it at least four months after the ‘notice of intention to commence’ (NIC) and after the scoping consultation has ended. After we publish the Gateway 1 self-assessment, we will publish a summary of the comments received during the scoping consultation and our responses. We will then carry out another consultation on the proposed content of the local plan and supporting evidence. This consultation will run for 6 weeks. Before we submit the Gateway 2 assessment to the Planning Inspectorate, we will publish a proposed policy map. This will show areas of land with different designations, for example:

• areas at risk of flooding
• habitat sites
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest
• Green Belt land
• heritage assets
• site allocations 

This will be an interactive map. You should treat it as a ‘working map’ that will change as the local plan progresses. It will have little weight in planning decisions. It may show where development could happen, but it does not allocate land. If we receive a positive outcome from the Gateway 2 assessment, we will consult on the draft local plan. This consultation will run for 8 weeks. This will be the final version we plan to submit for examination.

If a Spatial Development Strategy is available, we must check that the draft local plan is consistent with it. Before the third gateway check, we will publish summaries of consultation responses on the draft local plan. The Planning Inspectorate will then carry out the Gateway 3 assessment. It will decide whether the local plan can progress to submission.

Submission and examination stage

Submission and examination start at this stage and during this time, there will be examination hearings. Upon completion of the examination the Inspector will publish a report, and the Local Plan can progress to adoption. Once adopted it will have full weight in planning decisions and replace the current adopted Local Plan.

Appendix B

Statutory Notice of Intention to Commence Preparation of a New Local Plan

Spelthorne Borough Council

Notice is hereby given that Spelthorne Borough Council intends to commence the preparation of a new Local Plan under the new plan‑making system introduced by the Levelling‑Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

The new Local Plan will set out the planning policies and site allocations that will guide development across the Spelthorne Borough Council Area over a minimum 15‑year period.

The Local Plan will replace the current adopted local plan(s) and is being prepared to ensure that planning policies remain up to date, reflect national policy, and respond to local priorities and growth needs.

This notice marks the start of a minimum four month notice period, during which the Council will carry out a scoping consultation to help shape the content of the plan and inform the accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment.

A Local Plan Timetable has been published and is available at: Appendix A - Local Plan Immediate Review Timetable (pdf, 171 KB) or Appendix A - Local Plan Immediate Review Timetable (xlsx, 18 KB)

Further information about the new Local Plan, how to get involved, and updates on consultation stages can be found at: Local Plan - March 2026 | Spelthorne Borough Council

After the notice period and scoping consultation, the Council intends to publish a Gateway 1 self‑assessment summary, which will formally confirm readiness to begin the 24‑month plan preparation process.

Date of publication: 19th June 2026