Work is continuing behind the scenes of HEAT Project Salisbury – it now forms part of Wiltshire Council’s Draft Local Plan and representations were made in support of this at the end of last year.
Once the Council has agreed the Local Plan, it is submitted to the Secretary of State. An independent inspector will be appointed to assess whether the Local Plan meets various planning tests and has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements set out in law.
One of the key tests is ‘soundness’ which requires it to be:
- positively prepared
- justified
- effective
- consistent with national policy known as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The process is currently scheduled for the end of the year.
In the meantime, the design for the first phase of the project will move forward in tandem, with a likely planning application being made during the latter part of this year or early next year.
There will be further public consultation ahead of the first phase of the planning application.