Frequently asked questions

We know that local plans are detailed and technical and often raise questions about key issues that you need a straight forward answer to. Here is a list of questions on important matters that you may wish to know more about with clear and succinct answers to each.

General questions about the local plan

Housing

Site selection

Infrastructure

Environment

Neighbourhood planning

What happens next?

Local Government Reorganisation

You can take the survey on the Revised Regulation 18 draft local plan below

Take the survey

Phases

Phases overview

Phase 1: Draft Local Plan 2042 Revised Regulation 18

Draft Local Plan 2042 Revised Regulation 18

27 June 2025 23:00 - 6 September 2025 23:00

The draft Local Plan 2042 Revised Regulation 18 document plan focusses on how we are proposing to deliver the homes we need and where. This is in response to changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) announced in December 2024 and the government's priorities for delivering 1.5 million homes over the next 5 years.

Frequently asked questions

﻿General questions about the local plan

What is the local plan?

Why do we need an up-to-date local plan?

What does this plan cover?

Housing﻿

How much housing is needed?

How does the local plan proposed to meet our housing need?

What is the windfall allowance and why has it been increased?

What is Housing Land Supply and why does it matter?

What can be counted in housing supply?

Who is responsible for making sure new homes are built?

Why can’t Test Valley’s neighbours take some of our share of housing?

What will happen if we don’t plan for more homes?

What about sites that already have permission that aren’t being built?

Are the new homes going to provide affordable homes?

Site selection

How have the housing sites been chosen?

How does the Council demonstrate they listen if they are planning to allocate sites that the community have strongly opposed?

What is the distribution of housing throughout the Borough?

Infrastructure

Who delivers the infrastructure needed?

Surely more homes will result in more traffic, congestion and pollution?

What does the emerging plan propose to make sure development isn’t going to impact waste water infrastructure to the detriment of existing residential properties

There is already a strain on existing infrastructure like schools and surgeries, how will the local plan address this? What infrastructure will be provided to support the local plan?

Environment

How does the plan work to protect the environment and make sure Test Valley continues to be a great place to live?

Neighbourhood planning

How has our made Neighbourhood Plan been taken into account in the preparation of this plan?

Who gets a Neighbourhood Plan housing requirement?

Should we proceed with a neighbourhood plan if the local plan is allocating sites in the parish?

Why should we allocate sites in a neighbourhood plan?

What will happen to our “made” neighbourhood plan once the local plan is adopted?

Can the policies in the neighbourhood plan impact the housing allocations coming forward in the local plan?

What about our Village Design statement?

What happens next?

Who decided the timeframes, why are they so tight?

Why is the consultation taking place over summer?

How has the Council taken into account the feedback received during the public consultation on the Local Plan (Regulation 18 Stage 2)?

I have commented on the local plan before, why do I need to comment again?

How can I comment on the local plan and what types of things can I comment on?

What happens after the consultation closes?

When will the local plan come into effect?