Local Plan
What is a Local Plan?
Local Plans, prepared by a local planning authority in consultation with its community, set out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area. Once in place, Local Plans become part of the statutory development plan. The statutory development plan for the area is the starting point for determining local planning applications.
Why do we need to update our current Local Plan?
Our existing Local Plan was adopted by the council in July 2022. The Government requires us to update our local plan to respond to the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Key elements of our current Local Plan will be out of date in July 2027 when the plan becomes five years old.
Undertaking a new Local Plan will allow for the Council to properly plan for the higher housing requirement that the government has set us. Failure to have an up to date plan, could result in unplanned development with a lack of associated infrastructure such as roads and green spaces to serve the population.
The Local Plan will be prepared in accordance with the new plan making process that has been introduced by government. It will be produced within a 30 month timeframe. The plan will set out a vision and spatial development strategy for the borough, focusing on site allocations and local spatial policies. Development Management polices will be replaced by the National Development Management Policies (NDMPs).
The Planning Data (England) Regulations 2026 require the council to publish the local plan timetable and local plan datasets in an approved format. These datasets will be updated when changes have been made to the timetable and when milestones have been met. These are provided in CSV file format under the Open Government Licence.
Notice to commence an update of the St Helens Local Plan
Under the new plan-making system (The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, Part 4 Regulation 19), the Council is required to publish a 'Notice of Intention' to commence Local Plan preparation.
St Helens Borough Council gives notice of its intention to commence the preparation of a new local plan, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, Part 4, Regulation 19.
The title of the local plan is, the St Helens Borough Local Plan and it will cover the local planning authority/administrative area (ONS E08000013).
The St Helens Borough Local Plan will set out the spatial planning framework for the whole of St Helens up to 2044. The St Helens Borough Local Plan will incorporate the Minerals and Waste policies for the Borough previously covered by the Joint Merseyside Waste Local Plan and the Bold Forest Area Action Plan.
Notice of Commencement (PDF, 408 KB)
Local Plan Timetable
Under the new plan-making system (The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2026, Part 2 Regulation 4), we are required to publish a Local Plan Timetable and to provide updates (Regulation 6).
The purpose of the Local Plan Timetable is to set out key milestones for the preparation of the Local Plan. It provides a clear, transparent programme for plan preparation and opportunities for communities, stakeholders and decision makers to get involved and monitor progress.
The Local Plan Timetable replaces the Local Development Scheme February 2025.
Local Plan Timetable - PDF (PDF, 68 KB)
Local Plan Timetable - Excel (Excel doc, 4 KB)
