The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 (which came into force on 25^th March 2026) introduced a new local plan system in England, replacing the existing 2012 plan-making regulations. The Government's intention has been to introduce a faster, clearer and more accessible process for preparing local plans.

With some local planning authorities having commenced local plan preparation under the new system, we look to provide an overview of the key features of the new local plan system and discuss some implications that may arise as the system starts to be implemented. 

 

Key Features

• Local planning authorities are required to begin formal preparation of a new local plan within 5 years of adopting their previous plan. The aim being to reduce the period between local plan adoptions, a prevalent issue under the existing system.

• The formal stage of plan making is required to be completed within a 30-month period, with notice of the intention to commence plan preparation required at least four months before the start of this period.  Under the transitional provisions, circa 39 local planning authorities were required to publish their notice of intention to commence by 30^th June 2026.

• A Local Plan Timetable must be published with the notice of intention to commence and reviewed on a monthly basis and following each stage of local plan preparation and kept up-to-date. Together, these elements seek to ensure that communities and other stakeholders have advance warning so that they can understand when and how they can engage in the plan making process.

• Following publication of the notice of intention to commence, a 'getting ready' phase commences, during which a first stage of consultation, the Scoping Consultation is undertaken. This is an initial consultation on the scope of the local plan and methods of engagement.

• A formal 30-month plan making process stage then commences, which includes three 'Gateways' and two further stages of consultation, summarised as follows: 

• Gateway 1: Self-assessment summary establishing scope
  • This must take place at least 4-months after the notice of intention to commence is published
  • Local planning authorities must publish a 'self – assessment summary' of whether the tasks required during the 4-month notice period have been undertaken.
  • Passing through Gateway 1 is the start of a 30-month plan-making process.

• Consultation 2: Plan Content and Evidence - the second phase of consultation regarding the proposed content of the local plan and supporting evidence base

• Gateway 2: Advisory review of the draft plan by a Planning Inspector (mid-process)
  • Local planning authorities seek observations and advice from a Planning Inspectorate appointed assessor on aspects of the proposed plan, having consulted on content and the draft vision.

• Consultation 3: Proposed Plan - a final stage of consultation on a draft proposed local plan Gateway 3: Assessment of the plan's readiness for final examination
  • A Planning Inspectorate gateway assessor provides observations and advice, and decides whether the plan has met the legal, prescribed requirements, and is ready to be submitted for Examination    

             

Key Implications

• For plans being progressed under the existing local plan system, local planning authorities now have until the end of 2026 to submit their plan for Examination, before the system is retired. Local planning authorities have had to make important decisions on whether to continue with local plan production to meet this timetable and be examined under the current system, or to re-start the process under the new system. Some local planning authorities are progressing plans under both the existing and new systems.

• Local planning authorities will be under significant pressure to deliver within the ambitious 30-month timetable, it being a notably shorter timeframe than the average plan-making period under the existing system (84 months). It is likely that key decisions will have to be made earlier in the process, making it important for interested parties to get involved as soon as possible.

• As there is no provision within the regulations for Gateways 1 and 2 to be repeated (and Gateway 3 to be repeated only in specified circumstances as set out in Regulation 33), local planning authorities are likely to maximise the works they undertake in the 'getting ready' phase (i.e. the minimum 4-month period before Gateway 1 and the start of the 30-month period). As the system starts to bed in it will be interesting to see whether local planning authorities look to extend the 4-month period and frontload more work into the 'getting ready' phase.

The CarneySweeney team are actively monitoring and engaging with emerging local plans on behalf of our clients, with submissions having already been made to Scoping Consultations and sites having been promoted.

Evidence required in support of land promotions will likely be required early in the process, which landowners, promoter and developers should account for in their planning. We would encourage landowners, promoters and developers to engage in the new local plan process from the outset and to remain engaged through all three stages of consultation.

For further information, or advice on specific local planning authorities, please do not hesitate to contact our team.