Another chance to comment on the new Local Plan

Published: Wednesday, 15th July 2026

The public can comment on the updated Local Plan, with development sites to meet the Government’s housing target, when the ‘Regulation 19 Publication’ opens from 23 July to 17 September 2026.

The new Local Plan will guide what can be built and where between 2027 and 2042. The sites proposed were put forward by landowners and developers, and assessed against national planning policy, which was significantly updated by the Government in December 2024.

The Government has increased Sevenoaks District Council’s housing target by 63% - meaning 17,460 houses must be built over the next 15 years.

While the Local Plan will make use of already existing built-up areas and brownfield land, the Government’s amended planning laws require the Council to include Green Belt land to meet the housing target, especially land now qualifying as downgraded ‘Grey Belt’ because of Government planning law changes.

Despite this, the Local Plan will continue to protect 98% of the Green Belt and the District’s natural environment and unique and historic character.

The Local Plan also includes proposals to support the economy and includes an Infrastructure Delivery Plan for new schools, shops, health centres and improved public transport to support the new housing. The Local Plan also focusses on securing a significant amount of affordable housing for local residents.

Once the Regulation 19 Publication opens on 23 July, residents can find out more and have their say at www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/reg19.

They can also comment by emailing planning.policy@sevenoaks.gov.uk or writing to: Regulation 19 Publication Comments, Planning Policy, Sevenoaks District Council, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks, Kent  TN13 1HG.

Paper copies of the Local Plan will be available to view at local libraries and Sevenoaks District Council’s office in Sevenoaks.

As part of the Regulation 19 Publication, the public cannot suggest new development options. Instead, their comments should focus on whether the new Local Plan is compliant with national legislation and if it is ‘sound’, in other words based on evidence, meets future need, is deliverable and promotes sustainable development.

Cllr Nigel Williams, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Infrastructure, says: “Residents have a final opportunity to comment on the updated Local Plan for eight weeks from 23 July.

“I appreciate many residents are frustrated and angry at the Government’s preposterous housing target and the requirement to develop Grey and Green Belt land.

“The level of development required by the Government is more than all other Local Plans combined since the District was created 1974, and over 2.5 times larger than all the homes in Swanley.

“Through the Regulation 18 consultation, we asked residents, councillors, parish councils and landowners to propose alternative sites for consideration to meet this mandatory housing target. Although a very small number of new sites came forward, none of them would allow us to significantly alter the course of the Local Plan’s proposed allocated sites, which just meet the outrageously high threshold of the national housing targets.

“I must stress that we have no choice but to produce a new Local Plan that meets the Government’s housing target in full. Failing to do so could lead to the Local Plan being refused by the Planning Inspector followed by Government intervention. If this happens, the Government could determine planning applications in the District instead of the Council.

“Failure to agree a Local Plan would also leave the District open to piecemeal development, making it difficult for public services, like the NHS and transport bodies, to provide new infrastructure needed to support the new housing.

“There’s also a greater risk of unauthorised encampments, speculative housing development and planning by appeal by the National Planning Inspectorate. This is not a position we, nor residents, want to be in, as national intervention never delivers the level of protection or mitigation that a local planning authority can secure on individual planning applications.”

Once the Regulation 19 Publication closes, the revised Local Plan and the comments will be submitted to Government by the end of the year.

A Government appointed Planning Inspector will examine the Local Plan in 2027 when the public comments will be considered.

If approved by the Planning Inspector, the new Local Plan will be used to help decide planning applications from 2028.

Notes to editors

In 2025, Sevenoaks District Council sought views on its draft Local Plan to meet the Government's revised housing target of 17,460 houses to be built over the next 15 years, a 63% increase on the current target. The plan had to take account of the Government’s removal of many Green Belt protections.

More than 28,000 comments were received from more than 5,000 residents and organisations.

Following consideration of the comments, the Council updated the Local Plan.

Some sites originally proposed for development were removed. The reasons include the sites are no longer considered suitable, or the landowners have withdrawn them.

A proposal for a new stadium, put forward by Wasps Rugby Club, has was removed. The Council received insufficient information about the suitability of the scheme, in particular how critical infrastructure in the local area could be addressed. Therefore, the proposal was not included due to a lack of evidence.

A small number of new sites were added to the Local Plan. This follows further land being made available and recent Government changes to the direction of national planning policy to support new developments close to existing transport links.