Work starting in Stockton to decide where houses can be built
Stockton Council agreed to kick off the long process earlier this week
Councillors in Stockton have started work on a plan to decide where new homes will be built across the borough.
A new "local plan" is going to be drawn up, to consider new housing proposals, as well as the infrastructure like roads, schools and doctors surgeries.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s current Local Plan has been in place since 2019 to guide planning decisions in the area and establish a framework for sustainable economic growth and development. The wheels are now in motion for it to be updated, following a full Council meeting on Wednesday (24th June).
Following the meeting of full Council, a ‘notice of intention to commence the Stockton on Tees Local Plan’ will now be submitted no later than September 2026.
A scoping consultation will be available for residents, businesses and all other partners and organisations to give their views and for those interested in keeping up-to-date you can register to be informed of progress and updates by visiting the Council's Local Plan page.
Councillor Richard Eglington, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Transport, said: “The Local Plan is a really important document and it cannot be understated what a huge piece of work this will be.
“As things progress, we will continue to provide updates and how residents will be able to have their say once a consultation is launched.
“You can keep up to date with the latest developments by visiting the dedicated Local Plan web page.”
At the full council meeting Councillor Ross Patterson said: “I think it’s probably one of the most important things as a council we’re going to do.”
The Local Plan is a key document which has major implications for what plans are agreed in which areas. It outlines the council’s future planning priorities and guides planning decisions, including how many new homes are needed, where they should be built, new employment land and infrastructure, protection of nature and heritage and improvements to town centres.
Cllr Patterson, who represents Ingleby Barwick South, said: “I think when the residents of Yarm paid us a visit earlier this year, I think that showed the concern they’ve got, and I’m seeing it across the borough. I just don’t think all this development is sustainable. I think there’s serious issues with infrastructure.”
Numerous plans for housing development have prompted concern and objections including the strain on roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries. Yarm in particular has been a focal point of residents’ worries as numerous major housing proposals have stacked up in the Yarm and Eaglescliffe area in the last year, amounting to over 2,000 homes.
The council’s planning committee has heard arguments that the balance is tilted in favour of developers because the authority’s Local Plan is out of date and it does not have a five-year housing supply. It has been said planning permission for housing plans should be granted until there is a strong reason to refuse them or harms would outweigh benefits.
This looks set to be a key argument in an appeal against the council’s refusal of Taylor Wimpey’s £133m 600-home outline plan for Green Lane, Yarm. The full council heard a petition to stop housing developments in the town earlier this year.
Cllr Patterson added: “I welcome the establishment of a working group.
“I think members should be really well involved in this issue. It’s vital. Our residents are raising issues with us.”
Cllr Richard Eglington, cabinet member for housing and transport, said they were trying to streamline the process and make it as easy as possible: “All members are going to have the opportunity to feed into that working group and give their opinions.”
The authority is expected to give notice to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government “to commence plan-making” by the end of the year. A council report said: “The associated recommendations will enable progression of the Local Plan through the ‘getting ready’ stage and support the completion of all necessary preparatory steps required to enter the formal plan-making process.”
The council needs to complete a self-assessment by the end of April 2027. This will be followed by a 30-month period “within which the Local Plan must progress through all stages to adoption”, including two more plan consultations.
The plan will eventually be sent to the Planning Inspectorate for examination, and will finally be adopted after the examination is successful. The Secretary of State has powers to step in if not enough progress is being made on making the plan.
The council said it could not start a new Local Plan before, as the government was bringing in a new streamlined plan-making system which came in force in March. It said it had done traffic surveys and was carrying out reviews of wildlife sites and 11 conservation areas, and made “significant progress” in scoping and evidence gathering.