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The government has published legislation and guidance that requires all local authorities to change the way Local Plans are prepared. As a result, Nottingham City Council is required to publish a new plan‑making timetable to meet these legal requirements.

This timetable replaces the previous Local Development Scheme insofar as it relates to the Nottingham City Local Plan prepared under the new plan‑making system.

This timetable takes effect from 30 June 2026.

This timetable sets out how and when the Council expects to prepare the Nottingham City Local Plan. It provides transparency for communities, stakeholders and infrastructure providers about:

  • when key stages of plan preparation will take place
  • how and when people can engage with the process
  • how the Council intends to manage plan preparation through the new Gateway process

The timetable covers the full plan‑making process, from the publication of the notice of intention to commence plan preparation through to submission for examination and final adoption.

The timetable applies to the administrative area of Nottingham City Council.

This timetable relates to The Nottingham City Local Plan prepared under the new plan‑making system

It does not relate to:

  • Waste planning, which is covered by the adopted Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Waste Local Plan (September 2025).
  • Minerals planning, which is intended to be progressed through a separate joint Minerals Local Plan with Nottinghamshire County Council with its own timetable and notice. 
  • Supplementary plans as currently none are proposed.

The timetable sets out the key stages in preparing the Local Plan, including statutory consultation periods, gateway checks, submission for examination, and adoption. It is intended to provide clarity on when decisions will be made and how communities, stakeholders, and infrastructure providers can engage at each stage. The structure is based on national guidance for what to include in your plan timetable.

The key events and dates for the Nottingham City Local Plan are:

Event

Date

Details

Timetable published

30 June 2026

This is the content of this page, alongside the raw data in CSV format.

Publish notice of intention to commence plan preparation

30 June 2026

Publishing the notice of intention to commence plan preparation is a new statutory requirement. It provides early notice to communities and stakeholders that plan preparation is beginning and explains how and when they can get involved. The notice must be published at least four months before Gateway 1.

Scoping consultation (first formal consultation)

Summer 2026 (~4 weeks - exact date to be confirmed)

This consultation will seek views on the scope of the Local Plan, including the key issues to be addressed and the evidence required. It will help ensure the plan is focused on the right priorities for Nottingham City.

Date representations to the scoping consultation must be received

End of Summer 2026 (exact date to be confirmed)

All representations must be received on or before the confirmed date.

Gateway 1 – publication of self assessment summary

30 October 2026

Gateway 1 is a new requirement. The Council will publish a self assessment confirming that:
• the plan timetable and notice of intention have been published
• the scoping consultation has been completed
• appropriate governance and project management arrangements are in place
Once Gateway 1 is passed, this is the start of the formal plan making process, and the Council will have 30 months to prepare and adopt the plan.

Plan content and evidence consultation (second formal consultation)

Winter 2027 (6 weeks - exact date to be confirmed)

This consultation will set out the proposed vision, objectives and broad policy direction of the Local Plan, alongside a summary of the evidence intended to support it.

Gateway 2 – observations and advice

September 2027 (indicative)

Gateway 2 provides an opportunity to seek formal observations and advice on the draft plan and supporting evidence, ensuring alignment with national policy, guidance and legislation before the final plan is prepared.

Proposed Local Plan consultation (third formal consultation)

Summer 2028 (8 weeks - exact date to be confirmed)

This consultation will be on the proposed final version of the Local Plan, including site allocations and the full set of policies.

Gateway 3 – observations and advice

September 2028 (indicative)

Gateway 3 is the final external check to confirm the plan meets legal requirements and is ready for submission for independent examination.

Submission for independent examination

29 September 2028

The proposed Local Plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.

Adoption of the Local Plan

30 April 2029

Following the examination and receipt of the Inspector’s report, the Council will consider adoption of the Nottingham City Local Plan.

This timetable will be kept under review and updated in line with government guidance. It will be updated where dates change and when key milestones are reached, including publication of Gateway advice, examination outcomes, or if the plan is paused, withdrawn or revoked.

Any amendments will be recorded as such on this website.

This plan timetable has effect from 30 June 2026 and is published in accordance with statutory requirements to accompany the notice of intention to commence preparation of the Nottingham City Local Plan under the new plan‑making system.

The Council will publish timetable data in accordance with the Planning Data (England) Regulations 2026 and the approved data standards.

This CSV file contains the information above and will be updated when changes have been made to the timetable and when milestones have been met. All data on these pages is provided under the Open Government Licence. The data has been checked for compliance using the check and provide planning data service.

Download Local Plan timetable

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