The Council prepared a Preferred Options document which can be viewed electronically by clicking here . Hard copies of the document we made available during normal office hours in the District Council offices in Yeovil or libraries across the district.

The document set out for consultation the Council’s proposed strategy for delivering new homes and employment over the period 2016 to 2036, including site allocations and policies against which planning applications will be assessed.

The document reflects the latest Government Guidance in the updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the evidence base produced to support the Plan process. The Local Plan Review will provide us with a refreshed policy framework that will guide and shape development in the District up to 2036.

The consultation was designed to involve as many individuals and businesses of South Somerset as possible so that views could be collected and taken into account to help shape and evolve the next stage of the Local Plan. 

The consultation period was held from 28 June 2019 to 18 September 2019. 

After the consultation the relevant and main issues raised will be extracted and collated to be presented to committee when we are ready to progress to the next stage of the plan process. Further consultation is expected to take place in 2020/21.

More information on the Local Plan Review and the Preferred Options phase can be found by clicking here,  questions & answers can be found here, 

Evidence Documents:

• The HRA Report 
• The Interim SA Report 
• The Interim SA Report NTS 

 

Main points arising from the Preferred Options consultation held between 28 June 2019 and 18 September 2019.

Issues and Options.

The Issues and Options document sets out the issues identified by the Council evidence base below and makes suggestions to address them. Please note Issues and Errata (corrections)

A consultation took place between October 2017 and January 2018. View a summary of the main points.

You can see all of the comments made on the consultation here.

• Sustainability Appraisal Interim Report (October 2017)
• Scoping Report (May 2017)

A Duty to Cooperate Statement has been prepared to support the Local Plan Review process, following consultation with Duty to Cooperate partners during June/July 2020.

This is a live document and will be updated as necessary as the Local Plan Review is progressed, and Statements of Common Ground are prepared with partners.

Duty to Cooperate Statement

• South Somerset District Council 5 Year Housing Land Supply 2022 to 2027, November 2022
• Local Housing Needs Assessment Update 2021
• Local Housing Needs Assessment 2020
• Housing Market Areas and Functional Market Area in Somerset
• Potential for Rural Settlements to be Designated 'Villages'

Older documents are available on request, email us. 

On the 1^st April the District Executive resolved that the Council should apply to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to formally designate our parishes with a population of less than 3,000 as ‘rural’ under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985.

The Council received notification  from the Right to Buy Team at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that the legislation for our requested parishes to be designated as rural had been laid in Parliament. The Statutory Instrument came into force on Monday 29^th November 2021 - The Housing (Right to Buy) (Designated Rural Areas and Designated Regions) (England) Order 2021. This designation is an important policy tool, and the reasons for seeking it are explained in the report to District Executive on 1^st April 2021. 

District Executive Report

Rural Designation Map 

Employment

• Economic Development Needs Assessment 2020
• Employment Land Review 2019
• Review of FEMAs and Understanding Market Trends
• Addendum report to Long Term Economic Forecasting and Implications for Employment sites and premises (July 2017) November 2018

 

Retail and Town Centres

• Retail and Town Centre Study Update 2021
• South Somerset Retail and Main Town Centres Uses Study Report (July 2017)
• Appendix 6 – South Somerset Retail and Main Town Centre uses study report (July 17)

Older documents are available on request, please email us. 

What is the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)?

It’s an important document which provides guidance as to where future development could occur. It provides evidence that brings together important information related to sites which could be used future housing and employment land delivery in South Somerset.

Importantly, the identification of potential sites within the HELAA does not imply that planning permission would be granted if an application were to be submitted, nor that a site will be allocated for development, but it will assist in the new preparation of the new Local Plan and help to inform the five-year supply of deliverable housing land. It will include sites suitable to accommodate five dwellings or more, or economic development of 0.25ha (or 500m2 of floor space) and above.

Call for sites 2020

HELAA Methodology 2020

HELAA Form and Guidance Notes 2020

Housing & Economic Land Availability Assessment (2021)

Completed Site Assessment Forms (2021)

Area Maps 2021:

• Area North (2021)
• Area East (2021)
• Area South (2021)
• Area West (2021)

Older documents are available on request, email planningpolicy@southsomerset.gov.uk 

Authority Monitoring Report (2021)

Older documents are available on request, email planningpolicy@southsomerset.gov.uk 

Landscape Assessments, 2021

In response to comments received during South Somerset Local Plan Review Preferred Options Consultation, 2019 the Council has commissioned high-level strategic landscape assessments of a number of the preferred site allocations. These assessments are intended to provide additional evidence base to inform the next iteration of the Local Plan Review. They are not designed to replace or to be used instead of any more detailed landscape assessment that may be required as part of the site allocation or planning application process.

CR2 Assessment

CR5 Assessment

IM2 Assessment

YV2 Assessment

YV3 Assessment

 

Historic Environment Strategy

Historic Environment Strategy 2017

 

Historic Environment Assessments, 2021

South Somerset Site Allocations HEAs Report

Policy CR2 and CR5 Crewkerne HEA

Policy IM2 Ilminster HEA

Policy IM3 and EP1 Ilminster HEA

Policy MB1 Martock HEA

Policy MP1 Milborne Port HEA

Policy MP2 Milborne Port HEA

Policy SP2 South Petherton HEA

Policy TC1 Box Factory Yeovil HEA

Policy TC1 Cattle Market Yeovil HEA

Policy TC1 Glover's Walk Yeovil HEA

Policy TC1 Petters Way Yeovil HEA

Policy YV2 Yeovil HEA

Policy YV3 Yeovil HEA

Policy YV9 and adjacent EP1 Yeovil HEA

 

Tree Canopy Cover

Tree Canopy Cover Report 2021

Somerset Statement of Community Involvement Consultation.

As part of preparing for the new Somerset Council, the County Council and District Councils are currently consulting on a new Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The new SCI will set out how the new Somerset Council will involve our communities, organisations and other interested parties in the planning process. This includes consultation when preparing future planning policy documents, and how we will involve people and organisations when we assess and decide on planning applications for new development. Consultation on the document is taking place between 1^st February and 16^th March 2023. To view the document and comment, please visit the consultation website below:

somerset.inconsult.uk/sci/consultationHome

Statement of Community Involvement (adopted September 2018)

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) Addendum - July 2020

Infrastructure Delivery Plan update (2015 / 2016) Part 1 Spatial Summary

Infrastructure Delivery Plan update (2015 / 2016) Part 2 Evidence Base

• Appendix 1 – Infrastructure Schedule Priority 1
• Appendix 1 – Infrastructure Schedule Priority 2
• Appendix 1 – Infrastructure Schedule Priority 3
• Appendix 2 – Organisations Contacted

The Local Development Scheme (LDS) is the 3 year project plan for implementing the Local Development Framework. It explains how the new development planning system will operate and how the documents and strategies at different levels will fit together.

Viewed our latest Local Development Scheme.

Joint Level 1 SFRA - Final (Revised)

South Somerset Key Map

Former Taunton Dean Key Map

Former West Somerset Key Map

Flood Risk Map Chard

Flood Risk Map Ilminster

Flood Risk Map Wincanton

Flood Risk Map Yeovil

Flood Risk Map Crewkerne

Flood Risk Map Langport

Flood Risk Map Ilchester

Flood Risk Map Bruton

Flood Map Taunton Subarea

Flood Map Taunton Town

Flood Map Wellington

Flood Map West Somerset Subarea

Flood Map Williton & Watchet

Flood Map Minehead 

Flood Risk Map Southwest Strategic

Flood Risk Map East Strategic

Flood Risk Map Northwest Strategic

Settlement Role and Function Study 2021

Appendix 2 - Constraints Legend

Appendix 2 - Principal/Primary Market Town Maps

Appendix 2 - Rural Centre/Local Market Town Maps

Appendix 2 - Proposed Villages Maps

Appendix 2 - Rural Settlements (A-K) Maps

Appendix 2 - Rural Settlements (L-Z) Maps