Somerset Local Plan
Somerset Council are progressing the Somerset Local Plan 2045. The timetable for this is set out in the Local Development Scheme for Somerset. A summary of the timetable is as follows:
- Commencement – April 2023
- Evidence gathering and early engagement – April 2023 – December 2025
- Regulation 18 consultation on Draft Plan – April 2026
- Regulation 19 publication – October 2027
- Submission for independent examination – January 2028
- Inspector’s report – February 2029
- Adoption – March 2029
Local Plan update reports are presented to the Planning and Transport Sub-Committee of the Executive. These provide detail on work that has taken place.
- Local Plan Update Report – 11 February 2025 as part of the Local Development Scheme Committee Report
- Local Plan Update Report – 8 October 2024
- Local Plan Progress Report – 14 February 2024
Until the Somerset Local Plan 2045 is adopted, the current Local Plan documents for the former district council areas remain part of the Development Plan until they are replaced either wholly or in part by the Somerset Local Plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Local Plan?
Every Planning Authority must have a Local Plan that sets out what can be built and where building should take place over a period of at least 15 years.
Local Plans hold important policies to support environmental protection, jobs and the economy. They also help to decide where investment is needed for infrastructure like roads, schools and health services.
The Local Plan should:
- include land for housing and employment development
- ensure an appropriate range of house types
- support the economy and create employment opportunities
- identify necessary infrastructure improvements to support the development proposed
- safeguard heritage, culture, recreation and environmental assets
Why does the Council need a Local Plan?
It’s a legal requirement for councils to have an up-to-date Local Plan for their area. The local plan should cover at least 15 years and be in accordance with national planning policy. The Plan should set out what we want our local area to look like at the end of this period.
That might include things like:
- encouraging economic growth by identifying enough land for new businesses
- improving the quality and quantity of parks and play space
- delivering new roads
A central part of the Local Plan is setting out how many new homes are needed and exactly where they should be built.
How will the Local Plan affect me?
In short, if you live, work or visit Somerset, the Local Plan is relevant to you.
The Local Plan guides where and how changes to our towns, villages and countryside may happen over the next 15-20 years. This means that the Local Plan is likely to impact you at some point in the future. For example, over the next 15 years you or a family member may need to buy or rent a house in Somerset. You may work locally or want to set up a business here. You may simply want to be able to shop locally or make sure that our landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage is protected.
Changes which might affect you now or in the future include:
- the building of new homes; offices; industrial units and shops
- the creation of new jobs
- the building of community facilities
- the location of our parks and play spaces
- routes for walking and cycling paths
The Local Plan also identifies the places and features which are important to us because of what they look like, their history or the sense of place or tranquillity they provide us.
Can I submit a site for development?
The Somerset Local Plan Call for Sites ran for 6 weeks from 13 January 2025 to 24 February 2025.
During this time, landowners, developers, and site promoters were invited to submit land they want to develop to the Council. This process is crucial for gathering information to help create the new Somerset Local Plan, following national policy and guidance.
How long will it take to produce the Local Plan?
Commencement of the Local Plan began in April 2023 with the formation of the unitary Somerset authority and it is estimated that a new Local Plan will be ready for adoption in March 2029.
For more information, please visit Local Development Scheme page.
When will the new Local Plan be adopted?
The Council’s Local Plan timetable has estimated that the Local Plan will be adopted in March 2029.
For more information refer to the Local Development Scheme.
How can I stay up to date with progress?
We will be keeping our webpages updated with Local Plan reports where required.
To stay up-to-date with planning progress, sign up to the Plan-It newsletter.
How can I get involved?
The next statutory consultation (Regulation 18) is scheduled for early 2026.
Further information on community involvement in Planning can be found in our Statement of Community Involvement.
Where will future development go?
That’s what we need to decide. This initial stage of the plan-making process involves gathering evidence to understand what land is available and any constraints associated with these locations. Details will be included in our next public consultation exercise early next year.
What is the purpose of a Local Plan?
The Local Plan is a critical document in shaping the future of Somerset. In its final form, the Local Plan will determine where new development should go and where should be protected. This includes sites for new homes including affordable housing, supporting businesses, creating jobs, securing much needed infrastructure improvements, environmental protection and leisure development.
There is far more to the Local Plan than allocating sites for development; it covers a range of matters that will benefit current and future residents of Somerset, such as protecting public open spaces and retail areas, increasing biodiversity and increasing the standard of homes and commercial buildings being delivered.
The Council is also committed to sustainable development, incorporating the 3 pillars of sustainability:
- environmental
- social
- economic development
All local planning authorities have to produce a Local Plan which sets out planning policies to help achieve this. Following adoption, the Local Plan will be used to decide planning applications that come forward in Somerset.
How have we engaged with the residents of Somerset for the Local Plan?
The Council held early engagement activities from December 2024 to March 2025 with representatives of the community, including Council Members; City, Town and Parish Councillors; Local Community Network groups; seldom heard groups and young people.
There will be further opportunities to have you say as we enter the statutory “Regulation 18” consultation phase early next year.
Further information on community involvement in Planning can be found in our Statement of Community Involvement.
What data does Somerset Council have to use in calculating its housing need?
We are required to use the Government’s ‘Standard Method’ for calculating housing need, which is detailed in the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG).
- Setting the baseline
This is calculated as 0.8% of an authority’s most recent housing stock data for the area. - An adjustment to take account of affordability
The mean average affordability over the five most recent years for which data is available.
No adjustment is applied where the ratio is 5 or below. For each 1% the ratio is above 5, the housing stock baseline should be increased by 0.95%. So, for example, an authority with a ratio of 10 will have a 95% increase on its annual housing stock baseline. The affordability ratio is an indicator of past under delivery in housing and responds to price signals of future demand.
This method of calculating housing need was introduced in the National Planning Policy Framework published in December 2024. It saw an uplift in the number of homes required across Somerset Local Planning Authority area of 42% from 2,660 to 3,769 per year.
What is the difference between our housing need and housing requirement?
Housing Need – Is an assessment of the minimum number of homes needed in an area. It is calculated using the government’s standard method. This uses a formula that incorporates a baseline of existing local housing stock and is adjusted to reflect local affordability pressures.
Housing Requirement – is the minimum number of homes that a Local Plan seeks to provide during the plan period. It takes account of the housing need figure and considers whether there are any constraints or other factors that may dictate the number of new homes that we plan for. The housing requirement could be higher or lower than the housing need depending on the local context.