9. Appendix: Background to the Joint Strategic Plan
In 2014 we agreed a formal Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to work together to understand and plan strategically for the future development needs of South West Herts. This was followed by a signed Statement of Common Ground in 2021. This sets out a clear commitment to engage in a statutory plan making process, now taking shape in the form of the Joint Strategic Plan. It can be viewed here: Statement of Common Ground.
The Joint Strategic Plan will take time to prepare as there are a number of formal stages that it needs to go through before it is put before an independent Planning Inspector and then comes into effect. At each key stage in the plan’s preparation, there will be opportunities for further public comment and feedback.
The Joint Strategic Plan will be a formal statutory plan. This means that once finalised, the plan will carry significant weight and will be used to inform key planning decisions.
The diagram on this page shows how the Joint Strategic Plan will fit with some other important documents.
It will also be informed by a number of strategies relating to transport, health, climate change etc, the most important of which are listed within the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report that accompanies this consultation and within a series of more technical ‘Topic Papers’ that have been provided as background to this consultation. (available in the 'Key Documents' section).
It is important to note that the Joint Strategic Plan will not replace our individual Local Plans, which will continue to be prepared by each of the district and borough councils. The Joint Strategic Plan will provide the overall strategic spatial strategy and set the level of housing and employment land to be provided to 2050 to meet the needs of SW Herts. It will also identify the key pieces of infrastructure required to support sustainable growth. The Joint Strategic Plan will be supplemented by more detailed plans prepared by the individual councils. New versions of these Local Plans are currently being prepared and, whilst they must usually cover a period of at least 15 years, there is a requirement that they are reviewed every 5 years after adoption. We would again note that no decisions have been made on any locations for growth. This will come later.
Future Local Plans (or their equivalents) will need to reflect the vision, objectives and strategic policies set by the Joint Strategic Plan, to help ensure the strategy set out in the Joint Strategic Plan is delivered. This includes both additional policies and the land allocations that these Local Plans will contain.
Any Neighbourhood Plans prepared in the SW Herts area will also need to take account of the Joint Strategic Plan when it comes into effect.
Statutory plan-making can be a complex and detailed process and it can be challenging to ensure everyone engages in this process, particularly when it looks a long way ahead and covers a large geographical area. However, the Joint Strategic Plan needs to be owned by our communities. To support this, effective public engagement and awareness raising is crucial. In July 2022 we adopted a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). This set out how we intend to consult on the Joint Strategic Plan. This was subject to public consultation from November 2021 to January 2022 before being finalised earlier this year. A more detailed Consultation and Engagement Strategy that supports this current stage of the Joint Strategic Plan is available here.
