Dorset Council is preparing a new Local Plan.
The Local Plan will help guide how Dorset changes in the future. It will set out where new homes, jobs, infrastructure, community facilities and environmental improvements should happen. Once adopted, it will be used to help decide planning applications across the Dorset Council area.
We are now preparing the plan under the Government’s new local plan-making system. The new system has clearer steps, new consultation stages and a shorter timetable in comparison to the old system, which was less fixed and typically took longer to complete. As part of this process, we will use and build on evidence and comments already gathered. They will help guide the preparation of the new Local Plan.
We published our notice of intention to commence local plan preparation under the new plan-making system on 31 July 2026.
Scoping consultation
We are now running a consultation asking people for their views on what the new Local Plan should cover and how they would like to be involved. This early stage is called a scoping consultation and is a requirement of the new system. The consultation will end on 26 October 2026.
The Local Plan process and timetable
The new Local Plan will be prepared in stages. The timetable below shows the main stages and dates, including the consultations that will be held. You can also view the timetable in PDF format. We will review the timetable every month and update it if needed.
We are currently running a consultation on the scope of the new Local Plan. This happens before a formal 30-month plan-making period starts.
Process stages and timetable
At this stage we:
- prepared the project timetable
- reviewed existing evidence
- prepared for a scoping consultation
21 September to 26 October 2026
We are asking residents, businesses, parish and town councils, statutory bodies, interest groups, agents, developers and other organisations what the Local Plan should cover and how people should be involved.
This stage is about the scope of the plan. It is not a consultation on a full draft plan or final development sites.
We made a notice of the scoping consultation available on 21 September 2026. Comments must be received by 26 October 2026.
Expected: 30 November 2026
We will publish a statement explaining that we have checked our readiness and are prepared to begin producing a new Local Plan. This is called a Gateway 1 self-assessment summary.
A formal 30-month plan-making period begins at this stage.
Expected: March/April 2027 to April/June 2027
We will consult on the proposed content of the Local Plan, including potential policies and development sites, and supporting evidence.
We will publish a notice of this consultation in March/April 2027. The deadline for comments will be during April/June 2027.
We will also publish a summary of the Scoping Consultation in March/April 2027.
Expected: July/September 2027
We will ask the Planning Inspectorate to review the emerging Local Plan so that any major issues are identified early. This is called gateway 2 and is a mid-point health check.
Expected: January/March to March/May 2028
We will consult on a full draft version of the Local Plan that we consider is ready to be used to set the strategy for development in Dorset and guide planning applications.
We will publish a notice of this consultation in January/March 2028. The deadline for comments will be during March/May 2028.
Expected: May/August 2028
The Planning Inspectorate will check whether the council has followed the required process and completed the steps needed before the Local Plan can proceed to examination. This is called gateway 3 and is a final readiness check.
Expected: July/October 2028
The Local Plan will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination. The Planning Inspectorate will assess whether it is ‘sound’ and check that it meets national policy requirements.
Expected: February/August 2029
If the Planning Inspectorate finds the plan sound and legally compliant, the council can adopt it. Once adopted, it will be used to help decide planning applications.
Why have we moved to the new plan-making system?
In March 2026, the Government introduced a new process for preparing local plans in England. The aim is to make local plans faster to prepare, more digital, more transparent and easier to engage with
What this means for Dorset
Dorset Council has decided to prepare the Dorset Local Plan under the new plan-making system.
This does not mean we are abandoning previous work. While we will need to follow the new legal process, timetable and consultation requirements, we will also use and build on evidence already collected and take account of comments received during earlier stages.
In simple terms:
- the rules for preparing local plans have changed
- Dorset still needs an up-to-date Local Plan
- we have decided to prepare the plan under the new rules
- we need to check what the plan should cover before the formal 30-month period starts
- previous work, consultation responses and evidence will be reviewed and incorporated
More information on the new planning system can be found on GOV.UK.
Local Plan datasets
The new plan-making system requires councils to publish local plan data in a standard format. Dorset Council provides this data under the Open Government Licence. You can download the datasets below.
Plan dataset
This dataset includes headline information about the adopted local plans and the new Local Plan. It includes the plan period, responsible authority, links to documents and the housing requirement where available.
Download the plan dataset (CSV)
Plan timetable dataset
This dataset includes the key milestone dates for preparing the new Local Plan.