The PCP supports Portland Town Council in regard to matters concerning the Neighbourhood Plan. As confirmed in 2022 due to changes in the National Planning Policy Framework a review of the current plan was agreed in order to make this more robust moving forward extending the end date from 2031 to 2038. Details of how the Council arrived at this decision and links to the current plan are outlined below.

Progression of the Review and related matters

All matters concerning the Neighbourhood Plan and related issues are formally reported via the Town Council’s Planning, Highways and Licensing Advisory Committee as a standing agenda item. Meeting details can be accessed via this link Council Meetings :: Portland Town Council.

This includes details in regard to the progress of the new Dorset Local Plan and also information of consultations at Local and National level are also shown.

Updated Evidence Base

As the Neighbourhood Plan Review progresses a number of reports and information on the Plan’s consultations and outcomes from these will form part of the updated evidence base. At the March 2023 meeting the committee received two main reports

 These were:-

• Portland Site Options and Assessment Report – AECOM .
• Residential Development Site Assessment and Selection – Paul Weston (PW) (Consultant). 

These documents are shown on the Evidence Base page or click the titles above.

As summarised in Para 38 of PW’s report the total potential housing yield amounts to 1,076 as against a Local Planning Authority sub target to the year 2038 of 1,050 units.

The strategic intention of allocating these sites is within the spatial planning framework of maximising the re-use of brownfield land in Underhill and reinforcing the viability and sustainability of the Easton centre.

This approach also supports the enlargement of the Green Infrastructure Network and the sustainable access options to employment ideally within recognised growth areas.

Next Stages

Members of the Committee accepted the recommendations and the actions summarised in the report . The recommendations were then submitted to the Full Council’s April meeting who also supported this approach.

In parallel a Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report was commissioned and received at the Committee’s April meeting. This report has currently been circulated to Historic England, Natural England and the Department for Environment for responses by the 30^th May 2023. The report can be found here.

Sites put forward will be reviewed against the report and any responses and if appropriate alternative options will be considered.

It is also anticipated that an updated draft Habitats Regulation Assessment will be made available.

At the Dorset Cabinet meeting of the 22nd of June 2021 approval was given for the Portland Neighbourhood Plan to become part of the Local Development Plan for the area.

There was a positive result from the Referendum. The Plan now has to go to Dorset Council’s Cabinet in June for confirmation that it is to be considered as part of the formal Development Plan and we await the outcome of that meeting.

The full decision notice can be found on the Dorset Council website.

(photo: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. )