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Â鶹ÊÓƵ has extended the draft Local Plan consultation by a further two weeks. Residents and businesses can now have their say on the draft blueprint for future development in the borough until Sunday 14 August.

The original consultation period was for six weeks but the council has listened to the views of local people and community groups who wanted longer to have their say. The consultation has been extended in direct response.

Cllr Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth, Skills, and Climate Change, said: "The Local Plan is so important. It isn't just about outlining where houses could be built, it is about the fundamental fabric of the place that we live.

"We want to ensure that local people have their say so that together we can help create neighbourhoods that last a life time.
"The consultation has been extended so that everyone has an opportunity to put their views forward in writing to help shape the plan."
The Local Plan will provide a framework for where new homes, businesses, shops, and leisure facilities will be built until 2039, and ensure that the right infrastructure, such as roads and schools, is in place to support growth.

Under current legislation, the council has a statutory obligation to meet future housing targets set by Government. That means the council must identify land where new homes could be built. The government has set a target for 321 new homes to be built in South Tyneside every year.

The Local Plan will seek to find the most sustainable locations for development borough wide to meet future needs. The plan will actively encourage building on brownfield, with a focus in the main urban area. However, the stark reality is that all building requirements cannot be accommodated in the main urban area and so it has been necessary to carry out a Green Belt Review to identify potential areas of land which may be suitable for new homes or employment growth.

The plan will protect the revised green belt, our historic and cultural assets and ensure biodiversity net gain.

Cllr Meling added: "We have had an excellent response to the consultation to date with many people attending Q&A sessions in their local community and submitting comments in writing or via the consultation portal. We want this to continue.

"The Local Plan affects each and every one of us, which is why listening to local people is so important.

"We must have an up-to-date local plan. Without one, we are vulnerable to development being imposed upon us and won't have the policies in place to ensure the quality of development that our communities deserve.

"Together we can shape the kind of high-quality development, with the complementary green spaces and infrastructure, that our residents want. I would urge everyone to have their say and make their voices heard."

The latest 'Regulation 18' draft is one of several formal stages that a Local Plan must pass through by law, prior to adoption, and the council is now seeking feedback from residents. Responses will feed into the next iteration of the plan (Regulation 19) that will be consulted on at a later date.

Ultimately, the Plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State for a Public Examination before an independent Planning Inspector.
Consultation responses must be made in writing, through the appropriate channels, and must be received within the extended consultation period (20 June - 14 August inclusive).
To view the draft plan, details of Q&A events, or how to give your views, visit www.southtyneside.gov.uk/localplan