Local Plan

The Core Strategy, which will form part of the Rotherham Local Plan, sets out the Council's vision for the future development of the Borough between 2013 and 2028, and the strategic policies to guide investment and development decisions to achieve this vision.

Your chance to comment

The Core Strategy will form the central document in Rotherham's Local Plan. It will set the vision, objectives and strategic policies for Rotherham up to 2028. It establishes, in broad terms, where new development (including homes, jobs and retail) should be provided across the borough. In doing so it sets targets for new housing and employment land for each of the borough's settlements. It identifies the infrastructure required to support development within the borough, and the strategic planning policies to guide new development.

Why are we consulting?

Drawing on the consultation response from 2011 along with the latest studies and evidence, the Core Strategy has been developed into its final draft (publication) version. This is the document that the Council intends to submit to the Government for public examination, and ultimately wishes to adopt.

This "publication" stage allows for formal representations to be made in connection with specific issues of soundness and legal compliance (i.e. whether the Core Strategy is justified, whether it is effective, whether it has been positively prepared, whether it is consistent with national policy, and whether it has been produced in accordance with relevant legislation and regulations).

Publication documents

The following documents have been published and are available from our download area:

• Publication Core Strategy
• Integrated Impact Assessment (including Sustainability Appraisal, Health and Equality Appraisals and Habitats Regulations Scoping Opinion) 2011
  
• Integrated Impact Assessment 2011 Non-technical Summary
• Integrated Impact Assessment 2012 Update
• Infrastructure Delivery Study
• Consultation Statement
• Statement of Representations Procedure

Copies of the documents, response forms and guidance notes are also available at each of the Council's customer service centres and libraries. The Statement of Representation Procedure gives more information on which documents are available to look at, and where and when they can be viewed.

Other relevant documents

The following background papers have been produced to accompany the Core Strategy:

• Options Assessment of Core Strategy Broad Locations for Growth
• Housing
• Economy and Retail
• Transport and Accessibility
• Natural Environment
• Bassingthorpe Farm Position Statement
• Duty to Co-operate

These and other documents used to inform the preparation of the Core Strategy can be viewed in our downloads area.

How to make comments

The quickest and easiest way to comment is to use our dedicated Local Plan website (portal).

• Make comments on the Local Plan
  

The publication stage is an opportunity for people to make comments about the soundness of the Core Strategy. You can also comment on the Integrated Impact Assessment.

If you require assistance in commenting please refer to our guidance notes

Alternative ways to comment

Hard copies of response forms are also available at all libraries and Council customer service centres, and are available upon request from Forward Planning.

When is the consultation period?

All responses must be received by 5pm on 6 August 2012. Comments received after the end of the consultation period do not have the right to be considered. 

Comments may be rejected where they are defamatory, obscene, racist or otherwise likely to cause offence.