May 2026
Hart publishes timetable for new Local Plan
https://www.hart.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/local-plan-timetable
Scoping Consultation: 27 May 2026 to 19 June 2026. This is an early consultation to seek views from stakeholders on the scope of the Plan and how they wish to be engaged during the plan-making process. This is a public consultation; any individual or organisation can submit comments.
Gateway 1: On 30 September 2026 Hart District Council will publish the self-assessment summary demonstrating readiness to prepare a sound Local Plan. This milestone formally marks the start of the 30-month plan preparation period.
Content and Evidence Consultation: 9 October 2026 to 30 November 2026. This is the first formal consultation during the 30-month plan preparation period. Views will be sought on the Plan’s draft vision, proposed spatial strategy and a summary of evidence gathered to date. The consultation will last for six weeks, after which a summary of the consultation and of responses received will be published.
Gateway 2: 30 June 2027 to 30 July 2027. Hart District Council will meet with the Planning Inspectorate, where an appointed gateway assessor will review progress on the Plan. The purpose of Gateway 2 is to identify and resolve potential soundness issues early and to ensure that the Plan is on track to meet legal requirements. Once the Gateway 2 assessment is complete, the assessor’s formal report and observations will be published.
Proposed Plan Consultation: 3 September 2027 to 29 October 2027. This is the second and final formal consultation during the 30-month plan preparation period and is a consultation on the full draft plan and policies map. The consultation will last for eight weeks, after which a summary of the consultation and of responses received will be published.
Gateway 3: 3 January 2028 to 29 February 2028. The Planning Inspectorate Gateway provides the final assessment before the Plan can be submitted for examination. The gateway assessor will decide whether the Plan is ready for submission, based on prescribed requirements on legal compliance and the completeness of the submission documents. Following the assessment, the assessor’s report, submitted documents and a Gateway 3 completion statement will be published.
Plan Submission: 31 March 2028. Subject to passing Gateway 3, the Plan and all supporting evidence will be formally submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.
Plan Examination: 31 March 2028 to 31 August 2028. An Independent Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, will examine the Plan to determine whether it is sound and compliant with national planning policy.
Plan Adoption: 31 October 2028 is the date planned for adoption of the new Local Plan. The Plan will be considered for adoption by the future North Hampshire Council which will be vested on 1 April 2028. Once adopted, the Plan will form part of the statutory Development Plan for the new North Hampshire area.
The timetable will be kept under review and updated as necessary throughout the plan-making process.
Further information including neighbourhood plans, supplementary planning documents and other planning policy matters is available on the Hart planning policy pages at https://www.hart.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy.
Information correct at 08 May 2026.
October 2025
Hart has issued a ‘call for sites’ consultation to help shape the new Hart Local Plan, inviting landowners, site promoters, developers and other interested parties to suggest sites that could be included in the new local plan to help meet the area’s future needs. The consultation runs from 29 August 2025 until 5pm on 10 October 2025.
See https://www.hart.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/call-sites.
Hart will then publish the list of proposed sites and invite comments - there may be some locally that affect us. Once a site is adopted in the Local Plan it will be extremely difficult to oppose planning permission on that site.
September 2025
The Council has started the process of developing a new Local Plan for Hart.
The new Local Plan will set out the vision and framework for the future development of our area, with policies used to decide planning applications. The goal is to address the district’s need for new homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner, to protect and enhance the environment and address climate change.
See https://www.hart.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/new-hart-local-plan
The timetable for the new Hart Local Plan is set out in a Local Development Scheme approved at Cabinet on 16th September 2025. See Local Development Scheme September 2025
The formal start of the Local Plan process is planned for February 2026 and the process is expected to run to finalisation and adoption of the plan in October 2028. But in April 2028 Local Government Reorganisation will take effect, which means that progress beyond that date on the Hart Local Plan will be the responsibility of a new Unitary Authority.
May 2025
From May 2025, the housing trajectory in the existing Local Plan needed updating, which has resulted in the policies relating to housing supply in Hart’s Local Plan being ‘out of date’ and the Local Plan, which shows where development is planned, is vulnerable to challenge at appeal.
October 2024
The government proposes that Hart must more than double its delivery of new homes from the current 297 per year to 734 per year.
Link to Oct 2024: Hart gets hammered with increased mandatory housing target - FACE IT
December 2024
A review to determine whether the Local Plan needs updating must be concluded by 30th April 2025, five years after adoption. A report on the local plan review is currently scheduled to go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10th December 2024 and to Cabinet on 2nd January 2025. There is as yet no timetable for the next local plan.
Click here to see the archive for the previous Local Plan period