Share your final thoughts on Hounslow's Local Plan (Regulation 19)

This consultation closed on 28th October 2024 and representations are no longer being accepted.

The Regulation 19 consultation on the Proposed Submission Version of the Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041 ran between Friday 6th September and Monday 28th October 2024. This was the final stage of public consultation before the draft Local Plan and all supporting documents are submitted to the Secretary of State for examination by an independent Inspector.

For reference, a record of the consultation material has been retained on this page, below.

Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041 Regulation 19 Consultation

This consultation sought feedback on the legal compliance and soundness of our Local Plan 2020 - 2041 Proposed Submission Version (Regulation 19). We've shared a little more detail about what we mean by 'legal compliance' and 'soundness' below.

Our Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of our borough - it includes housing, employment and retail, as well as heritage and nature designations. It also identifies where development should take place and areas where development should be restricted.

How to view documents

Following engagement with residents, we have produced our Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version. The Local Plan is available for you to view in interactive web format via the 'Important Links' panel on the right hand side of this page, or if using a mobile device, at the bottom of this page. There, you will be able to view the entire document.

The Plan, other consultation documents, and supporting documents are also available for download via the 'Documents' linked on the right hand side of this page

or if using a mobile device, at the bottom of this page

The Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version is supported by a number of evidence base studies which are available to view on our website.

During the consultation period, physical copies of the Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version and other consultation documents were available to view at all of Hounslow's libraries (find your local library here), and at the Council's main office, Hounslow House.

The Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version was published for comment from Friday 6 September 2024 until 23:59 on Monday 28 October 2024.

Commenting on the Local Plan and other consultation documents

Please note that this consultation has now concluded and we are no longer accepting comments.

During the consultation period, comments could be submitted through an online consultation form that was located at the bottom of this page .

Comments could also be submitted through downloading response forms from the Documents section on the right hand side of the page. Where not completing the online consultation form, we asked that completed response forms were returned to us by:

Email: spp@hounslow.gov.uk

Post: Spatial Planning, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow, TW3 3EB

Please note that we cannot accept anonymous submissions or submissions after the deadline.

Our privacy notice explains how we may collect, use, store, and transfer personal data, and can be viewed here.

Watch the video below to find out more about local plans

We requested comments on the 'legal compliance' and 'soundness' of the plan
In accordance Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 we invited the public to make representations on the legal compliance and soundness (as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), paragraph 35) of the Hounslow Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version.

Local Plans are legally complaint if they are:

• prepared in accordance with our latest local development scheme;
• accompanied by a sustainability appraisal and habitat regulations assessment;
• subject to consultation carried out in accordance with our statement of community involvement;
• compliant with all relevant laws including the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (PCPA) and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012;
• has been prepared in line with the duty to cooperate (see below);
• in general conformity with the London Plan.

Local plans are considered to be sound if they have been:

Positively prepared

Provides a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet our objectively assessed needs and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development.

Justified

An appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence.

Effective

Deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and

Consistent with national policy

Enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant.

What does 'duty to co-operate' mean?

We are required to co-operate on strategic matters with neighbouring boroughs and certain statutory bodies prescribed by government, such as those involved with health, conservation, the environment and housing, when we prepare the Local Plan. These are issues that cross administrative boundaries, so effective and ongoing joint working is integral to the production of a positively prepared and justified strategy. We have set out relevant information on who we have engaged with under the duty to cooperate to date in section 3 of the 'Proposed Submission version Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041: Consultation Statement and Duty to Cooperate Statement', which you can access in the Documents section on the right hand side of the page.

Consultation Drop in Events

As part of the consultation, we held two public drop-in sessions providing opportunity to speak to planning officers from the Council to help answer any questions members of the public had about the Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041: Proposed Submission version. Details of the drop in sessions that were held are as follows:

Hounslow House

• When? Monday 7th October between 16:30 – 20:30

• Where? Room 6.06/6.07, 6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow, TW3 3EB

• How do I attend? Please report to the Main Reception area at Hounslow House and ask an available member of staff where the Local Plan drop in session is located.

Digital Dock, Brentford

• When? Wednesday 9th October between 16:00 – 20:00

• Where? Digital Dock, 205 High Street, Brentford, TW8 8AH

• How do I attend? Please press the intercom button at Digital Dock and ask to be admitted to attend the Local Plan drop in session

Hard copies of the Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041: Proposed Submission version were made available to view at both events. Hard copies of the consultation documents, including the Local Plan, were also made available at all libraries within Hounslow and at main reception in Hounslow House throughout the consultation period.

If you require an individual paper copy of the Local Plan consultation document, this can be purchased. Please email spp@hounslow.gov.uk with your request.

How we've engaged with communities so far

In November to December 2023 we consulted on our proposal to progress the Hounslow Local Plan Review as a single Local Plan, rather than as a series of separate documents in different volumes, which was the case until the Local Plans were withdrawn from examination in July 2023. Details of that consultation, including our responses to the comments received, can be found in section 2 of the 'Proposed Submission version Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041: Consultation Statement and Duty to Cooperate Statement' included in the Documents section on the right hand side of the page.

In the process of producing the previous Local Plan Reviews, we conducted extensive consultation events, both statutory and non-statutory. The Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version takes forward much of the content of the previous Local Plan Review documents, with updates and refinement.

What happens next?

Now that this consultation has closed, the Hounslow Local Plan: Proposed Submission Version, as well as other consultation documents, supporting documents and all of your Regulation 19 responses will be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent Examination. We will update our Local Plan Review webpages and send notifications to those who have responded to this consultation at each step of the process, including when examination hearing dates have been set by the Planning Inspectorate. We hope to adopt the Hounslow Local Plan 2020-2041 by Winter 2025.

Further detail on the Local Plan timetable can be found in the Local Development Scheme.