The Dudley Local Plan 2041
Dudley Council is in the process of preparing a new local plan for the borough and is looking for residents, community groups and businesses to help. Every local council has a legal duty to make and adopt a local plan for its area. The local plan sets out a number of different policies and proposals that will help guide development and land use for at least 15 years and will be used to make decisions on planning applications during that time.
The Dudley Local Plan Review Publication (Regulation 19) stage consultation closed on 29 November 2024. The Publication Plan sets out the council’s vision for the borough, priorities for the plan, preferred policies and proposed housing and employment sites.
Key priorities and objectives for the Plan include:
- tackling climate change
- maximising inward investment and employment opportunities
- providing a mix of housing and affordable homes for all
- improving health, wellbeing and tackling health inequalities
- protection and enhancement of our green and natural environment
- delivering regeneration, renewal and stronger communities.
You can view the full Publication local plan document using the online consultation portal.
You can view our interactive map here.
What is a local plan?
A Local Plan sets out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area. It helps to set the land use planning policies in areas, such as, adapting to climate change, protection of green and natural environment, types of homes that are needed, what infrastructure is needed to support development, how developments should be designed and the protection of the historic environment.
Local Plans are central to the planning system and provide development management policies that all planning decisions are to be measured against.
Local Plans also help set out where new housing and employment development will be brought forward in an area. This is important as a plan led approach helps protect areas from unwanted speculative development and provides a longer-term view for planning for education, transport, health and utilities infrastructure.
The Dudley Local Plan will be the new Development Plan for the borough. It is central to delivering plan led growth and is the starting point for assessing planning applications in the borough.
Why are the Council reviewing the Local Plan?
All Local Planning Authorities are required by Government to review the local plans every 5 years following adoption under The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The purpose of a review is to take account of changing circumstances affecting the area, as well as any relevant changes in national policy.
Plan making process
There are a number of different stages involved in the preparation of a Local Plan, with the key stages outlined below.
|
Stage |
Detail |
Timeframe |
|
Draft Plan (Reg 18) |
Public consultation on the Council’s proposed draft plan which includes detailed policies and allocations and a draft Sustainability Appraisal Report (SA)
|
Completed Autumn 2023 |
|
Publication Plan (Reg 19) |
Sets out the final Local Plan for submission to the Secretary of State (SoS)/Government Public consultation on legal compliance and ‘soundness’ Final draft SA Report
|
Autumn 2024 |
|
Submission Plan
|
Local Plan submitted to Government (Planning Inspectorate) with all the comments received during the Publication Plan consultation Final SA Report
|
Winter/Spring 2025 |
|
Examination |
Independent Examination carried out in public by a Planning Inspector
|
Spring/Summer 2025 (subject to PINs availability) |
|
Adoption |
Council formally adopts Local Plan SA Adoption Statement
|
Winter 2025/Spring 2026 (depending on timescale of EIP) |
Dudley Local Plan Privacy Notice
The Privacy Notice relating to the Dudley Local Plan can be found here.
Contact us
Email: planning.policy@dudley.gov.uk
Planning Policy Team
Dudley Council
Council House
1 Priory Road
Dudley
DY1 1HF
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