Consultation on Dorset Council's Local Plan options is open now

All Parish and Town Councils have received the letter below and have been asked to share it.

Dear Town/Parish Clerk

Dorset Council Local Plan Options consultation 2025 - 18 August to 13 October 2025

This letter gives notification that we have published the Dorset Council Local Plan Options consultation 2025.

This consultation document sets out opportunities for meeting the development needs of the Dorset Council area. It will help form the Dorset Council Local Plan which will be used when making planning decisions in Dorset.

The Local Plan will be Dorset Council’s response to the Government’s commitment to addressing the shortage of housing, to enable economic growth and deliver essential infrastructure to enable this growth. It will also set out how planning decisions will seek to conserve and enhance the environment, including measures to address climate change.

We are seeking feedback on the identified opportunities to help us prepare for the next round of the local plan production.

Alongside the Dorset Council Local Plan Options Consultation 2025 and its Appendices:

• Appendix A – Opportunity Sites for Housing;
• Appendix B – Opportunity Sites for Employment;
• Appendix C – Opportunity Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople;
• Appendix D – Opportunity areas for renewable energy,

the Council has published a Habitats Regulation Assessment, a Sustainability Appraisal and a number of background papers and evidence reports.

These documents can be found online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-is-changing and at County Hall, Dorchester during normal opening hours. The options consultation document (though not the appendices) will also be available in Dorset libraries.

The consultation document and opportunity sites can be viewed on our online consultation portal, where you can also make your comments. Our preferred method is for you to provide a response through the on-line survey. This will significantly speed up the analysis of comments. If you’re not able to submit your response online you can respond in writing using the council’s response form, including your name and address. We are not able to accept anonymous responses.

The council response form can be found online, downloaded and completed electronically or printed off and filled out by hand with completed response forms being sent to [email protected] or posted to: Planning, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XJ

Comments should reach the Council by no later than 13th October 2025.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch by telephone on 01305 838334, or email [email protected] using ‘Dorset Local Plan Options 2025’ in the subject bar.

We have also sent a copy of this letter to you via post enclosing a notice. We would be grateful if you could display the notice at an appropriate location in the town/parish telling people about the consultation. If you would like some text to be provided for your town/parish newsletter we would be happy to provide this on request.

The Council is also consulting on the Dorset and BCP Councils Local Transport Plan over the same period.

Yours faithfully

Hilary Jordan
Service Manager for Spatial Planning