Notice of Scoping Consultation for Dorset Council Local Plan

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21 September to 26 October 2026

Scoping Consultation for Dorset Council Local Plan

In accordance with Regulation 20 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, Dorset Council invites comments on what the Dorset Council Local Plan should contain and how the council should engage on the preparation of the plan.

A hard copy of the consultation document will be available to view at the council offices at County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ during office hours and in Dorset libraries upon request.

Representations should be submitted via the online response portal.

If exceptionally it is not possible to submit a response via this route, comments can be submitted:

by email to [email protected]

by post to Planning Policy, Dorset Council, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ

Closing date

Representations on the Local Plan Scoping Consultation must be received by the Council no later than midnight on 26 October 2026.

Submissions may be made public and will be retained for future local plan purposes.

Future stages of the plan

If you wish to be informed of future stages of the local plan, please subscribe to our local plan mailing list.

We will notify you of the following stages:

consultation on proposed Local Plan content and evidence - under regulation 23(1)(b)

the publication of observations or advice from Secretary of State - under section 15CA(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004(the Act)

consultation on the proposed local plan - under regulation 27(1)(b) (consultation on the proposed local plan)

submission of the proposed local plan to the Secretary of State for independent examination - under section 15D(1) of the Act

notice of examination, including date, time, place and name of the examiner - as specified in regulation 35(2), at least 6 weeks before the opening of a hearing of the local plan, in accordance with regulation 35(1)(a)

the examiner may decide to pause the examination - under section 15D(7) of the Act for further work to be carried out under section 15DA of the Act

the publication of the document outlining the council’s further work undertaken during the examination pause, any proposed modifications to the plan alongside any further evidence if applicable (i.e. publication under section 15DA(7) of the Act of the document and any evidence which is sent to the examiner under section 15DA(6) of the Act)

the publication of the recommendations and reasons of the examiner received by the council - under section 15D or section 15DA of the Act, in accordance with section 15D(13) or section 15DA(10)

the adoption or approval of the local plan - under Part 2 of the Act

If you have any questions regarding the consultation or would like any further information, please contact the Planning Policy team at [email protected] or by telephone on 01305 838334.