Leicester City Council asks residents for feedback on 15-year Local Plan

By Oliver Taylor

The public consultation window for Leicester City Council’s 15-year Local Plan, covering issues such as development sites and planning applications, will close on Monday(DEC7).

The council is asking residents to review its 2020-2036 plan and list of potential development sites. The plan specifically focuses on identifying broad locations for development, allocating strategic development sites, setting clear policies that guide decisions on planning applications and indicating how the plan will be delivered and how progress will be monitored.

The 10 key objectives for the city of Leicester outlined in the Local Plan are:

1. Support the delivery of new homes balanced with economic growth to meet the needs of all people.
2. Prepare for, limit and adapt to climate change.
3. Support economic growth, maximise employment opportunities and support businesses to grow.
4. Improve the health and wellbeing of local presidents.
5. Ensure new development is of a high-qualify design and layout which reflects local context and circumstances.
6. Enabling the right infrastructure for the city to grow and thrive.
7. Conserve and enhance the identity, character and diversity of the city’s built and heritage assets.
8. Protect and enhance the natural environment including green infrastructure and biodiversity.
9. Make efficient use of existing transport infrastructure by helping to reduce the need to travel by car and improve accessibility to jobs and services.
10. Enhance the vitality and viability of our city centre, town centres and district and local centres.

This is the third step of the council’s seven-step process to implement the plan. Following the conclusion of the public consultation window next Monday, the council will consult on it, submit it to the Secretary of State and Planning Inspectorate, and subject it to independent public examination before finally adopting the final version of the plan.

The plan will be reviewed in collaboration with council partners, stakeholders and the wider community at least once every five years after it is adopted.

In an appeal for people to give their feedback on the plane, the council said: “Whether your interests lie in local neighbourhoods, the city centre, transport, housing, employment, shopping or the environment, please share your views and help to shape the future of Leicester.”

The Local Plan draft and list of potential development sites can be viewed here. Residents can submit feedback on the Local Plan here.