An important part of the planning process is gathering evidence and factual information to help identify the issues and needs of the area.
Evidence can come from reports, strategies, specific pieces of research and from a wide range of sources including organisations that operate at a local level or organisations that operate on a wider level but have specialist knowledge or expertise.
Pieces of supporting evidence which help inform the Dorset Council Local Plan are set out in the table on this page. In addition to these, there are a number of existing reports that have formed part of our evidence base for previous reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans. Where appropriate, these pieces of evidence have also helped inform the production of the Plan, and can be accessed using the links below.
Supporting evidence
The following section lists evidence that has been produced to help develop the Dorset Council Local Plan. Some of the evidence listed was produced separately to support the reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans, but together covers the Dorset Council area as a whole.
Topic |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|---|
Development Strategy |
Green belt |
January 2021 |
Strategic Green Belt Review (Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch, & Poole Council) |
Viability |
Viability assessment |
December 2022 |
Topic |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|---|
Alderholt |
Transport |
May 2021/September 2021 |
|
Dorchester |
Heritage |
January 2021 |
|
Dorchester |
Garden Communities |
In progress |
|
| Dorchester | Employment | June 2025 | Dorchester Employment Strategy |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|
Land availability |
September 2020/September 2023 |
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and Gypsy and Traveller Land Availability Assessment |
Housing needs |
January 2022 |
|
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment Update |
October 2022 |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|
Ecology |
2021/2022 |
|
Landscape and Heritage |
Various |
|
Flood Risk |
March 2024 |
|
Flood Risk |
February 2024 |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|
Town Centres and Retail Development |
January 2023 |
|
Employment |
March 2024 |
Employment Land Study (Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council) |
| Land availability | August 2025 | Dorset Employment Land Review |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|
Recreation and open space |
Various |
Playing Pitch Strategy, and Sport and Leisure Facilities Needs Assessments |
Renewable energy |
December 2020 |
Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Report Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.1 Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.2 Strategic Identification of Wind Farm Sites - Figure 1.3 |
Electricity Grid Capacity |
November 2023 |
Sub-topic |
Publication date |
Document title |
|---|---|---|
N/A |
September 2019 |
Background papers
Please find below background papers produced to inform the Dorset Council Local Plan.
- Functional areas background paper
- Settlement hierarchy background paper
- Second homes background paper
- Green belt background paper
- Flexible Settlements Policy background paper
- Housing Numbers background paper
- Housing, Employment and Traveller site selection background paper
- Wind, solar, and battery storage opportunity areas background paper
Please be aware that more background papers will be added to this page as they become available.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of the above documents in a more accessible format, please contact the planning policy team using the details below. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Statement of Common Ground
A statement of common ground is a written record of the progress made by strategic policy-making authorities during plan making process on addressing strategic cross-boundary matters. It documents what co-operation is happening and where agreement has or has not been reached. It is a way of demonstrating at examination that plans are deliverable and based on effective joint working across local authority boundaries. In the case of local planning authorities, it also forms part of the evidence required to demonstrate that they have complied with the duty to cooperate.
The current Statements of Common Ground are as follows:
- Statement of Common Ground between Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and Dorset Council
- Statement of Common Ground between Wiltshire Council and Dorset Council
Previous Adopted Local Plan Reviews
Where appropriate, evidence that informed previous reviews of the adopted former district and borough Local Plans has helped inform the Dorset Council Local Plan. This evidence can be found using the following links.