Local Plan

The Government requires every Local Plan to be reviewed at least once every five years. Wiltshire's Local Plan, the Wiltshire Core Strategy, was adopted in 2015, and is therefore being reviewed. This review is termed the 'Local Plan review'.  

Regular reviews support growth, ensuring there is enough land for homes, jobs and the infrastructure necessary to support them. It also helps protect against speculative and unplanned development that might undermine sustainable and resilient communities.

Regulation 19 consultation

The Regulation 19 consultation took place between Wednesday 27 September, to Wednesday 22 November 2023. The draft local plan published as part of this consultation is available for download: Wiltshire Local Plan Pre-Submission Draft 2020-2038 (Regulation 19) (PDF) [44MB] (opens new window)

Scope of the Wiltshire Local Plan review

The Local Plan review will:

• set-out a vision and framework for Wiltshire for the period to 2038, addressing housing needs and other economic, social, and environmental priorities
• assess the future levels of need, and an appropriate basis, for new homes (including market, affordable, and specialist housing), employment land, and infrastructure provision over that period
• consider if the existing adopted development strategy remains relevant, identifying new site allocations relating to housing and employment together with supporting services and infrastructure
• inspect existing Wiltshire Core Strategy development management policies to ensure their continued consistency with national policy
• introduce further detailed development management policies as part of a review of the saved development management policies not replaced by the Wiltshire Core Strategy
• develop additional, locally distinctive policies, to plan positively for all town centres in Wiltshire consistent with national policy

The Local Plan review will not:

• change or remove strategic objectives or policies that remain in accordance with national policy and support the delivery of sustainable development
• include the needs of Gypsies and Travellers, this has been removed from the scope of the review, and will be addressed through separate DPD. See the Gypsy and Travellers - planning page for more information

Timeline of the Local Plan review

The Wiltshire Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the Development Plan Documents (DPDs) prioritised for production by Wiltshire Council and the timetable for their preparation that will, when complete, together with other adopted documents, comprise the Development Plan for Wiltshire.

The anticipated timeline for the progression of the Local Plan review is summarised below.