Have your say on the Local Plan
Test Valley Borough Council
Local Plan 2042 Revised Regulation 18 Public Consultation
The Council is preparing the next Local Plan for the Borough and is now seeking comments on its draft Local Plan.
This draft Local Plan is at the Regulation 18 stage. Public consultation on a full draft Local Plan (Regulation 18 Stage 2), took place in early 2024 and identified how the Council were aiming to deliver its housing requirement. This was prepared in line with national planning policy and guidance in force at that time. Since then, the national planning policy position has significantly changed to reflect the Government’s ambition of increasing the delivery of housing both nationally and immediately with a target to build 1.5 million new homes across England over the current Parliament between 2024 and 2029. As a result of this, our housing requirement has been increased from 524 to 934 homes per year across the Borough, a 78% increase. This equates to a minimum of 15,878 homes to be delivered over the 17 year plan period from 2025-2042.
This has led us to needing to revisit the Regulation 18 stage to identify how the Council is seeking to meet the Governments increase in housing need for Test Valley to safeguard against speculative development and to coordinate the delivery of the necessary infrastructure. This consultation document focuses solely on matters related to addressing our increase in housing needs, and any consequential changes, such as on employment needs, are explained.
We are seeking your comments on how the Council is proposing to plan for all these homes. As the purpose of this consultation is very focussed, there are matters such as development management policies, where the Council’s position remains as set out in Regulation 18 Stage 2. Previous comments made on these matters will be considered to inform the next stage of the draft Local Plan (Regulation 19). When making comments on Revised Regulation 18, it may be helpful to reference policies in the Regulation 18 Stage 2 consultation, as relevant.
Consultation Process
The draft Local Plan 2042 Revised Regulation 18 will be out to public consultation for an 10-week period running from Friday 27th June 2025 to noon Friday 5th September 2025..
The documents are available on our website at www.testvalley.gov.uk/localplan2042
During the public consultation period, paper copies of the draft Local Plan 2042 will be available to view at the Council’s Offices (Beech Hurst, Andover and the Former Magistrates Court, Romsey) between the hours of 8.30am and 5pm on Monday to Thursday and 8.30am and 4.30pm on Fridays. Paper copies will also be available to view at libraries during their respective opening hours at Andover, Romsey, North Baddesley, Lordshill and Chandlers Ford.
If you are unable to access the consultation documents, please contact us to discuss alternative arrangements.
Public Exhibitions
A public exhibition will be held at Barton Stacey Village Hall from 4.00pm to 6.00pm on Monday 14 July. This will give residents the opportunity to ask questions and view the draft Local Plan 2042. The dates and locations of other public exhibitions can be found at Draft Local Plan 2042 | Test Valley Borough Council.
How to Comment
Comments on the draft Local Plan should either be:
Sent in writing to Planning Policy and Economic Development, Test Valley Borough Council, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3AJ, or
Emailed to planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk
Using the response form available at www.testvalley.gov.uk/localplan2042
Please provide your name and either a postal or email address. If you are responding on behalf of someone else, please also provide the name of the individual or organisation. Please note that emails are subject to a maximum 30Mb size limit, above which they will not be received.
Only those representations that are made in writing and arrive (in either hard copy or electronically) within the 10-week period between Friday 27th June 2025 and ending at noon on Friday 5th September 2025 will have the right to have their representations considered.
If you respond to this consultation, we will keep you informed of future consultation stages unless you advise us that you want to opt out of such communication.
Please note that representations cannot be treated as confidential. If you are responding as an individual, rather than as an organisation, we will not publish your contact details (email/ postal address and telephone number) or signatures online, however the original representations will be available for public viewing at our offices by prior appointment. All representations and related documents will be held by the Council until the Local Plan 2042 is adopted and the Judicial Review period has closed and will then be securely destroyed.
For further information on the Local Plan public consultation, visit Draft Local Plan 2042 | Test Valley Borough Council or contact the Planning Policy and Economic Development Service on 01264 368000 or via email at planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk.
