Somerset Council is extending its consultation deadline to allow residents and businesses more time to have their say on how Somerset could change in future.
Under the original timetable the consultation was due to have closed on Friday 24 July – but will now close on 9 August. This will enable people extra time to formulate their responses.
Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets, said:
We really want to hear from people how they would like Somerset to evolve so we are allowing extra time – more than double the Government’s recommended timescale.
This is just the first step in development of the Local Plan. People’s thoughts will help ensure we build a Plan covering the right issues, around a Vision that people can get behind and focus new development in the right places. It’s important to stress that this consultation is not about specific sites, and no sites are proposed at this stage.
The Local Plan is relevant to everyone, guiding where and how change happens across towns, villages and the countryside over the next 20 years.
The Scoping Consultation (Regulation 20) is a legal requirement under the new plan‑making system for England (from March 2026) and launched on 19 June.
Government advice is that the consultation should last for at least 21 days. Somerset Council’s consultation will now run for 51 days.
At this consultation stage the Council must ask for views on these documents:
- Scope of the Somerset Local Plan – what the plan will cover (not detailed policies)
- Local Plan Engagement Plan – how people and organisations will be involved
- Local Plan Vision and Outcomes – what we want to achieve for Somerset
The Council is also consulting on emerging work to help shape the Local Plan and inviting views on:
- Spatial Strategy Topic Paper – options for where development could go across Somerset
- Role and Function of Settlements Topic Paper – how we understand different towns and villages, including their services and how sustainable they are
- Sustainability Appraisal of the Spatial Strategy options – an initial comparison of how the different options perform against key issues
There is more information on the Council’s Local Plan pages.
