Our Local Plan update

Horsham District is preparing a new Local Plan. This document sets out how proposals for development in the District will be considered.

This new plan sets out proposed locations for new housing development and measures to ensure that development takes place in a way that protects our environment. Our draft plan includes policies that expect biodiversity net gain to be provided above minimum legal requirements and supports the delivery of new community infrastructure including schools and transport links.

In January 2024 the draft Local Plan was published for a six-week period. During this time, we invited formal comments as to how the plan meets national planning policy and legal requirements.

The Council has received a high level of responses. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to read the documentation and respond. All the comments (known as ‘representations’) are currently being processed by the Council’s Strategic Planning team. These will be published on our website when all comments have been processed.

The Local Plan, together with all the comments submitted, and other supporting evidence will be submitted to an independent Planning Inspector in June. The Inspector will then hold a formal examination of the plan, which will include hearing sessions. This is likely to take place in the Autumn of 2024.

Once the plan has been examined in full, the Planning Inspector will issue a final report recommending whether the Council can adopt the plan. If this is the case, the new plan will be used to help determine planning applications in the District.