Scoping Consultation
Winchester District Local Plan 2044 – Scoping Consultation
Why are we preparing a new Local Plan?
Winchester City Council is preparing a new Local Plan called ‘The Winchester District Local Plan 2026-2044’. The Local Plan will guide future development across the plan area (Winchester District excluding the South Downs National Park) and help shape where homes, jobs, infrastructure, community facilities and environmental improvements are delivered over the coming years.
The Council has published a formal notice of intention to commence work on the new Local Plan in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026.
What are the key stages in preparing Local Plan 2026-2044?
A Local Plan timetable has been prepared which sets out the key stages and anticipated timescales for preparing the new Local Plan
What is the Winchester District Local Plan 2026-2044 Scoping Consultation about?
This is the first stage in preparing the new Local Plan.
Changes to the plan-making system and legislation introduced by the Government in March 2026 require councils to undertake a formal scoping consultation at the start of preparing a Local Plan. This consultation provides an early opportunity for stakeholders to help shape the direction of the new Local Plan and comment on the proposed engagement approach. At this stage, no decisions are being made on specific development sites.
We are seeking your views on:
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How should the Council engage with communities and stakeholders during plan preparation.
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How the Council should approach the preparation of the new Local Plan, taking into account the circumstances of the Winchester plan area and the changes to national planning policy.
Please note that this consultation is not an opportunity to submit sites to the Council for consideration which was already undertaken through the Call for Site in 2025
What documents are included as part of the scoping consultation?
Scoping Consultation Document and Notice of the Scoping Consultation are available to view online on this webpage. We have also prepared FAQs.
We are making hard copies of the following documents available at the City Council office and local libraries (see the table on opening hours):
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Notice of Scoping Consultation
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Guide to accessing the consultation online
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Locations |
Address |
Opening Hours |
|
Winchester City Council (main reception) |
City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester SO23 9LJ |
Mon- Fri: 10am- 3pm |
|
Bishops Waltham Library |
Free Street Southampton |
Tue, Fri: 1-5pm Wed, Sat: 9:30am-1:30pm Mon, Thu, Sun: Closed |
|
Alresford Library |
20 Broad Street |
Mon, Wed and Sun: Closed Tue, Fri: 1-5pm Thu and Sat: 9:30am – 1:30pm |
|
Winchester Library |
The Arc Winchester SO23 8SB |
Mon, Tue, Thu - Sat: 9:30am – 5pm Wed: 9:30am – 1:30pm Sun: Closed |
If you would like your own copy of the documents (which can be requested by contacting the Strategic Planning Team), a charge will apply.
When is the consultation?
The consultation runs from Friday 18th September and closes at 23:59 on Friday 9th October 2026. All responses must be received before the consultation closes.
How do I respond to the consultation?
Responses can be submitted through the Council’s consultation portal here or can be posted to us at:
Winchester City Council
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ
For further information on the scoping consultation, please view the FAQs.
Alternatively, the strategic planning team can be contacted at planningpolicy@winchester.gov.uk
Please Note: Anonymous responses cannot be accepted, and all comments will be made available on the Council’s website (addresses and contact details will not be published and will be handled in line with the Council’s Privacy Policy).