Revised Local Plan (DPD)

The Test Valley Borough Revised Local Plan DPD - 2011 - 2029 contains proposed policies for determining planning applications and identifying strategic allocations for housing, employment and other uses.

This Local Plan was adopted by the Council on 27 January 2016 (the Cabinet report can be found here ) following examination by an appointed Planning Inspector. The examination process started on 31 July 2014, when the Council submitted the Local Plan, and ran until 15 December 2015, when the Inspector’s report was received. A copy of the Inspector’s report, and associated appendix, is available from the documents list.

Revised Local Plan Policy COM7: Affordable Housing

Following the Government's amendments to Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) , regarding circumstances where affordable housing contributions should be sought, the Council agreed an updated approach to applying policy COM7.

The latest position is set out within the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Revised Local Plan - (Second) Five Year Review 2026

As the Local Plan reached the second five year anniversary of its adopted on 27 January 2026, a further review was undertaken in accordance with Regulation 10A The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2012 (as amended). Its purpose is to ensure that the plan and its policies remain effective and to identify any areas which need to be reviewed. The review considered whether there has been a significant change in circumstances which affects the plan’s strategy and whether it remains up to date and consistent with current national planning policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024. This review was undertaken as a self-assessment using relevant parts of the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Local Plan Route Mapper Toolkit. The review was approved by Cabinet on 8 April 2026 and comprises two documents:

  • Toolkit Part 1 – Whether any significant changes affecting the plan’s spatial strategy
  • Toolkit Part 2 – Consistency of the plan’s policies with NPPF 2024

Part 1 assessment concluded that there has been a significant change in the Government’s housing requirement, which has consequently led to the lack of a five-year housing land supply (HLS). There has also been a resulting change in economic conditions resulting from a change in jobs growth. In addition, there has been a change in the requirements for mitigation for international nature conservation designations/Habitats Regulations matters. This means that a full update of the plan is needed to provide a plan-led strategy for the delivery of development to meet local needs and a framework for decision-making, for a longer-term plan period, beyond that of the adopted Local Plan, and to take account of the updated planning context. Preparation of the draft Local Plan is underway. For the remaining plan review factors, the plan is considered to remain sound and policies remain up to date. Therefore, these policies are considered to continue to provide a robust basis for decision making in the determination of planning applications. Part 2 assessment concluded that NPPF 2024 requirements necessitate some new or additional policy, or revision of the current policy approach being considered to address these, which will be taken into account in preparing the draft Local Plan, or which could alternatively be addressed through other additional guidance. The draft Local Plan Regulation 18 Stage 2 2024 and Revised Regulation 18 2025 contain new policies and revisions of the current policy approach based upon NPPF 2019. Such policy changes will continue to be considered in progressing with preparation of the draft Local Plan, including to take account of NPPF 2024. However, these are not considered to mean that the adopted Local Plan policies are out of date or unsound. Recent appeal decision have also confirmed the adopted Local Plan is consistent with the current NPPF 2024.

Revised Local Plan – (First) Five Year Review 2021

As the Local Plan had reached the first five year anniversary of its adoption on 27 January 2021, a previous review was undertaken in accordance with Regulation 10A The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). Its purpose is to ensure that the plan and its policies remained effective and to identify any areas which needed to be reviewed. The review considered whether there had been a significant change in circumstances which affected the plan’s strategy and whether it remained up to date and consistent with current national planning policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2019. This review was undertaken as a self-assessment using relevant parts of the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Local Plan Route Mapper Toolkit. The assessment was then reviewed by independent consultants appointed by PAS. The review was approved by Cabinet on 10 March 2021 and comprises three documents:

  • Toolkit Part 1 - Whether any significant changes affecting the plan’s spatial strategy
  • Toolkit Part 2 – Consistency of the plan’s policies with NPPF 2019
  • Advisory Note – Reviewing the assessment which has been undertaken

Part 1 assessment concluded that, the spatial strategy was considered to remain sound and plan policies remained up to date and continued to provide a robust basis for decision making in the determination of planning applications. Part 2 assessment concluded that NPPF 2019 requirements necessitated some new or additional policy, or revision of the current policy approach being considered to address these, or which would be taken into account and considered in preparing the next Local Plan, or which could alternatively be addressed though Supplementary Planning Documents or other additional guidance.  However, these were not considered to mean that the adopted Local Plan was out of date or unsound. Recent appeal decisions had also confirmed the adopted Local Plan was consistent with the current NPPF 2019.

Please be advised that a number of the attachments are large documents and may take time to download.

If you would like any further information or wish to purchase a copy of the Local Plan for £50.00 (and £5.00 for postage and packaging) please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01264 368000 or planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk