Gateway 1 Self-Assessment

The following documents have informed the Council's preparation for Gateway 1:

• Notice of Intention to Commence Plan Preparation
• Local Plan Timetable
• Local Plan Review Scoping Document
• Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report
• Engagement Strategy
• Gateway 1 Self-Assessment (to be published following completion)

The Council has published a Local Plan Timetable which sets out the key stages in preparing the new Local Plan and the anticipated programme for consultation, evidence gathering, Gateway assessments, examination and adoption.

The timetable provides transparency for residents, businesses, landowners, infrastructure providers, community organisations and statutory consultees by setting out when opportunities to engage in the plan-making process are expected to take place. It also provides the framework for managing the preparation of the Local Plan within the Government's 30-month timeframe.

The timetable will be kept under review and may be updated to reflect consultation responses, new evidence, national policy changes and the outcomes of future Gateway assessments.

View:

• Local Plan Timetable

Preparing a Local Plan is a significant corporate project involving cooperation across Council services, elected members, statutory bodies, infrastructure providers, neighbouring authorities and local communities. Effective governance and project management arrangements are therefore essential to ensuring the Local Plan can be prepared efficiently and within the statutory timeframe.

The Council has established project management and governance arrangements to oversee preparation of the Local Plan Review. These arrangements provide clear decision-making processes, management oversight and accountability throughout plan preparation.

To support delivery of the Local Plan, the Council has prepared an internal Project Initiation Document (PID). The PID identifies the scope of work, objectives, governance arrangements, resources, programme management arrangements, key dependencies and strategic risks associated with preparing the Local Plan. It provides the framework for managing the project and monitoring progress as plan preparation proceeds.

Alongside the PID, the Council will continue to monitor programme delivery, resource requirements and emerging risks throughout the life of the project.

Gateway 1 Readiness at a Glance

The Council has:

• Published a Local Plan Timetable and Notice of Intention to Commence Plan Preparation.
• Established governance and project management arrangements.
• Prepared an internal Project Initiation Document.
• Published a Local Plan Review Scoping Document.
• Published a Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report.
• Prepared an Engagement Strategy.
• Undertaken a formal Scoping Consultation.

An important part of preparing a new Local Plan is understanding the opportunities and challenges facing Nottingham and identifying the issues that the plan will need to address.

The Council has undertaken early evidence gathering and baseline analysis to help identify the issues the Local Plan will need to address.  This work has informed the preparation of the Local Plan Review Scoping Document, which identifies a range of strategic planning issues that may need to be considered as the Local Plan develops.

The Scoping Document is structured around ten key themes:

• Theme 1 | Growth Delivery and Regeneration
• Theme 2 | Homes and Communities
• Theme 3 | Economy
• Theme 4 | Energy, Sustainability and Climate Change
• Theme 5 | Health and Wellbeing
• Theme 6 | Transport and Connectivity
• Theme 7 | Design and Density
• Theme 8 | Natural Environment and Green Infrastructure
• Theme 9 | Heritage and Identity
•    Theme 10 | Infrastructure, Viability and Developer Contributions.

At this stage, the Council is not consulting on preferred planning policies, site allocations or a preferred spatial strategy. Instead, the Scoping Document seeks views on the issues that should be considered as the new Local Plan is prepared.

View:

• Local Plan Review Scoping Document

Environmental assessment is an essential part of preparing a Local Plan.

Alongside the Local Plan Review Scoping Document, the Council has published a draft Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report. The report sets out the proposed scope of the environmental assessment to be undertaken as the Local Plan progresses and identifies the environmental topics, baseline information and assessment framework that may be used to assess future options and policies.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment will help ensure environmental considerations are incorporated into plan-making from the outset and will form an important part of the evidence base supporting the Local Plan Review.

View:

• Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report
• Strategic Environmental Assessment web page

Meaningful engagement with residents, businesses, community organisations, infrastructure providers, statutory consultees and other stakeholders is fundamental to the preparation of the Local Plan.

To support this process, the Council has prepared an Engagement Strategy which explains how people can become involved in preparing the Local Plan and how consultation responses will be considered throughout the plan-making process. The strategy promotes accessible, proportionate and effective engagement and supports the Council's adopted Statement of Community Involvement.

The Council is currently undertaking a formal Scoping Consultation in accordance with Regulation 20 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026. The consultation runs from 23 September to 28 October 2026 and seeks views on:

• the Local Plan Review Scoping Document;
• the Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report; and
• the Engagement Strategy.

Comments received through the consultation will help inform future stages of plan preparation and demonstrate early engagement as part of the Council's preparations for Gateway 1.

View:

• Engagement Strategy

Following completion of Gateway 1, the Council will continue developing the evidence base, engaging with stakeholders and preparing the next stages of the Local Plan. There will be further opportunities for residents, businesses, community organisations and other interested parties to comment as the Local Plan progresses.

The Local Plan will ultimately provide a single planning framework for Nottingham, helping to guide future housing, employment, infrastructure, environmental improvement and regeneration across the city.

Residents and stakeholders can keep up to date with progress through the Local Plan webpages and by registering to receive planning policy updates.

Use this form to register for updates about planning policy work being undertaken by Nottingham City Council. By registering your details, we can contact you about Local Plan consultations, Supplementary Plans, Interim and Informal Planning Guidance, other planning policy consultations, progress updates and opportunities to get involved.

We operate a single planning policy contact list, so everyone who registers will receive email notifications about planning policy consultations, updates and opportunities to participate. You can unsubscribe at any time.

If you have any questions about the Local Plan Review, please contact the Planning Policy Team:

localplan@nottinghamcity.gov.uk