Local Plan Regulation 19 Consultation

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Overview

The Local Plan is the main planning document(s) prepared by local planning authorities, under statutory requirements. It outlines a council’s long term planning framework with strategic and non-strategic planning policies. The Local Plan provides policy guidance on delivering new homes and jobs, protecting landscape resources and green infrastructure. It establishes the council’s strategy for managing development and infrastructure in Three Rivers up to 2042 by setting out where development can take place and the planning policies used to make decisions on future planning applications.

Local Plan Intervention

At the 27 January 2026 Extraordinary Full Council, the Local Plan (Part 1 and Part II documents) was agreed to proceed to Regulation 19 consultation. However, on 5 February 2026, the council was issued a holding direction by the Minister of State for Planning and Housing preventing the council from taking “any step in connection with the adoption of the Plan”, including proceeding with the Regulation 19 consultation until the Minister reviewed the emerging plan’s evidence base.

The holding direction can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/three-rivers-district-council-local-plan-holding-direction-letter/three-rivers-district-council-local-plan-holding-direction-letter

In response to the holding direction letter, the council sent an explanatory note to the Minister of State for Planning and Housing.

On 18 March 2026, the council was issued a Local Plan Intervention Letter whereby the Minister of State for Planning and Housing issued a total of 9 directions to the council, including timelines for specific actions, such as commencing the Regulation 19 consultation (by 31 July 2026) and the inclusion of six additional sites.

What is the Regulation 19 consultation?

The Regulation 19 consultation is the final chance for representations to be made on the plan before submission for Examination.

Unlike previous Regulation 18 consultations which sought opinions of sites, policies and development across the district more generally, the Regulation 19 consultation is more focused and technical. The role of this consultation is to provide the opportunity for representations to be made on the ‘soundness’ and legal compliance of the plan.

Soundness

Paragraph 36 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2024) sets out that Plans are ‘sound’ if they are:

  • Positively prepared – providing a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;
  • Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;
  • Effective – deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and
  • Consistent with national policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant.

Further information on soundness can be found at the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-making.

Legal Compliance

Legal Compliance relates to whether the Local Plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements. Matters for consideration include:

  • Has the Plan been prepared in accordance with the latest Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement?
  • Is the Plan accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations Assessment?
  • Is the Plan compliant with all relevant legal requirements including the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012?

Further information on legal compliance can be found at the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-making.

Representations should relate only to legal compliance and soundness of the Local Plan, referring to specific policy and paragraph numbers. In your representation you should provide succinctly all the evidence and supporting information necessary to support your representation and your suggested modification(s) as applicable.

Documents

All the documents relevant to this consultation can be found in the right hand-side tab, including:

  • Three Rivers Local Plan 2026 – 2042 Part I
  • Three Rivers Local Plan 2026 – 2042 Part II
  • Sustainability Appraisal
  • Habitats Regulations Assessment
  • Link to the Evidence Base
  • Link to the Interactive Policies Map
  • Statement of Representations Procedure

The consultation period starts on Friday 31 July 2026 and ends at 11:59pm on Friday 25 September 2026. Only those representations made within the period set by the council will be taken into account by the Inspector as part of the examination.

How to Comment on the Regulation 19 Consultation

You can submit your representations in writing through our engagement platform below. If you need assistance with completing the consultation online, assistance is available at the Visitor Centre at Three Rivers House or at one of the Healthy Hubs located across the district.

Hard copies of the Local Plan, Policies Map, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment are available for inspection (during normal opening hours) at the Visitor Centre at Three Rivers House and all public libraries within the district.

Next Steps

The comments submitted during the Regulation 19 consultation will be used to inform a final draft of the Local Plan, which we aim to submit to the Secretary of State in late 2026.

Following submission, the Secretary of State will appoint an Inspector who will undertake an independent Examination of the Plan. This process is managed by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), and the timetabling will be outside of the control of the council. It is difficult to estimate exactly when the Examination may start and how long it may take, however, we estimate that subject to the Plan being found sound, the Plan will hopefully be adopted towards the end of 2027.

Notification of Future Consultations and Major Updates

If you would like your email address to be added to the Local Plan consultation database so that you are notified of future Local Plan consultations or major updates, please request this by emailing localplanconsult@threerivers.gov.uk including your full name and email address.

Overview

The Local Plan is the main planning document(s) prepared by local planning authorities, under statutory requirements. It outlines a council’s long term planning framework with strategic and non-strategic planning policies. The Local Plan provides policy guidance on delivering new homes and jobs, protecting landscape resources and green infrastructure. It establishes the council’s strategy for managing development and infrastructure in Three Rivers up to 2042 by setting out where development can take place and the planning policies used to make decisions on future planning applications.

Local Plan Intervention

At the 27 January 2026 Extraordinary Full Council, the Local Plan (Part 1 and Part II documents) was agreed to proceed to Regulation 19 consultation. However, on 5 February 2026, the council was issued a holding direction by the Minister of State for Planning and Housing preventing the council from taking “any step in connection with the adoption of the Plan”, including proceeding with the Regulation 19 consultation until the Minister reviewed the emerging plan’s evidence base.

The holding direction can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/three-rivers-district-council-local-plan-holding-direction-letter/three-rivers-district-council-local-plan-holding-direction-letter

In response to the holding direction letter, the council sent an explanatory note to the Minister of State for Planning and Housing.

On 18 March 2026, the council was issued a Local Plan Intervention Letter whereby the Minister of State for Planning and Housing issued a total of 9 directions to the council, including timelines for specific actions, such as commencing the Regulation 19 consultation (by 31 July 2026) and the inclusion of six additional sites.

What is the Regulation 19 consultation?

The Regulation 19 consultation is the final chance for representations to be made on the plan before submission for Examination.

Unlike previous Regulation 18 consultations which sought opinions of sites, policies and development across the district more generally, the Regulation 19 consultation is more focused and technical. The role of this consultation is to provide the opportunity for representations to be made on the ‘soundness’ and legal compliance of the plan.

Soundness

Paragraph 36 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2024) sets out that Plans are ‘sound’ if they are:

  • Positively prepared – providing a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;
  • Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;
  • Effective – deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and
  • Consistent with national policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant.

Further information on soundness can be found at the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-making.

Legal Compliance

Legal Compliance relates to whether the Local Plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements. Matters for consideration include:

  • Has the Plan been prepared in accordance with the latest Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement?
  • Is the Plan accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations Assessment?
  • Is the Plan compliant with all relevant legal requirements including the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012?

Further information on legal compliance can be found at the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-making.

Representations should relate only to legal compliance and soundness of the Local Plan, referring to specific policy and paragraph numbers. In your representation you should provide succinctly all the evidence and supporting information necessary to support your representation and your suggested modification(s) as applicable.

Documents

All the documents relevant to this consultation can be found in the right hand-side tab, including:

  • Three Rivers Local Plan 2026 – 2042 Part I
  • Three Rivers Local Plan 2026 – 2042 Part II
  • Sustainability Appraisal
  • Habitats Regulations Assessment
  • Link to the Evidence Base
  • Link to the Interactive Policies Map
  • Statement of Representations Procedure

The consultation period starts on Friday 31 July 2026 and ends at 11:59pm on Friday 25 September 2026. Only those representations made within the period set by the council will be taken into account by the Inspector as part of the examination.

How to Comment on the Regulation 19 Consultation

You can submit your representations in writing through our engagement platform below. If you need assistance with completing the consultation online, assistance is available at the Visitor Centre at Three Rivers House or at one of the Healthy Hubs located across the district.

Hard copies of the Local Plan, Policies Map, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment are available for inspection (during normal opening hours) at the Visitor Centre at Three Rivers House and all public libraries within the district.

Next Steps

The comments submitted during the Regulation 19 consultation will be used to inform a final draft of the Local Plan, which we aim to submit to the Secretary of State in late 2026.

Following submission, the Secretary of State will appoint an Inspector who will undertake an independent Examination of the Plan. This process is managed by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), and the timetabling will be outside of the control of the council. It is difficult to estimate exactly when the Examination may start and how long it may take, however, we estimate that subject to the Plan being found sound, the Plan will hopefully be adopted towards the end of 2027.

Notification of Future Consultations and Major Updates

If you would like your email address to be added to the Local Plan consultation database so that you are notified of future Local Plan consultations or major updates, please request this by emailing localplanconsult@threerivers.gov.uk including your full name and email address.

Page last updated: 31 Jul 2026, 01:22 PM