County Durham Plan scoping consultation

The scoping stage marks the first formal step in preparing the new Local Plan and is the first opportunity for you to have your say on topics and issues which will help shape its foundations. It is your chance to help shape future decisions about housing, jobs, transport, the environment, town centres, and community facilities.

Get involved early on

We want our residents, businesses, and all interested parties to get involved to help shape the foundations of the new Local Plan at this early stage to make sure it reflects community aspirations, responds to local needs, and remains aligned with national and regional policy requirements. The feedback received will guide the development of detailed policies and proposals as the Local Plan progresses when there will be further opportunities to provide feedback.

There are two options to take part in this initial stage. The links to the surveys and more information are at the bottom of this page.

About the scoping stage

We have created a scoping report document to assist this stage of consultation. The scoping document identifies the strategic priorities, key issues, and the overall direction the Local Plan should take. It provides early thinking on how development in the county should be distributed, and the locally specific challenges and opportunities that require further exploration.

By outlining this information at the outset and seeking feedback, we can establish a framework that later stages of the Local Plan must build on. It also signals where significant policy change may be required, particularly in response to increased housing need.

You can preview the scoping report below:

Note: The scoping report also includes survey questions. These will help you to prepare your feedback on the full document when you come to fill in the online survey (link at the bottom of this page). There is also the option to complete a shorter survey which has been designed for residents or anyone who might have a less technical background.

For more information regarding local plan making and this scoping stage, please read the Cabinet report at: Cabinet meeting 10 June, Agenda Item 5

An overview of the key themes and implications of the scoping exercise

The scoping document contains information which will enable you to consider the following key themes and implications for the development of a new Local Plan.

Your place and your priorities

We’d really like to hear your take on the place where you live. What do you think your area does well at, and what could be better? Your views will help us understand what matters most to local people and whether we’re focusing on the right priorities for the new Local Plan.

Future development – where should it go?

We’re looking at a range of different ways the county could grow in the future, and we’d really value your thoughts on each one. Every approach has its own advantages and drawbacks, and your local knowledge can help us understand what might work well, and what might not, in different parts of the county. The options in the scoping document outline the main ways growth could be planned, and we’d like to hear your views on the pros and cons of each, as well as whether a mix of approaches might be the best fit. The options include:

• Focusing growth in the main towns
• Spreading development across many villages
• Concentrating growth along key transport routes
• Creating a new settlement or major extension
• Prioritising regeneration of existing areas
• Or combining several of these approaches

Housing needs

We’d like to understand the housing issues that matter most to you and your community. Different places face different challenges, from affordability and choice to the needs of older people or those who require specialist or accessible homes. Your views will help us decide how the new Local Plan should respond, including whether we should identify sites for particular types of housing. By sharing your experiences, you can help shape a plan that better reflects the needs of people across the county.

Jobs and the local economy

We want to understand what will help County Durham grow a strong, resilient economy in the years ahead. That includes hearing your views on where new employment sites should go, which future industries we should plan for, and how we can strengthen important sectors like tourism and our town centres. Your insights will help us shape a new Local Plan that supports good jobs, attracts investment, and creates thriving places across the county.

Transport and movement

We want to understand how important good transport connections are to you when new development is planned. Public transport, walking and cycling options can make a big difference to how places grow, and we’d like your views on whether this should influence decisions about things like parking standards and where new homes or facilities go. Parking standards refer to how much parking should be provided in new developments, including spaces for cars, bikes, disabled people and electric vehicles helping shape how easy it is to park, how people travel, and how environmentally friendly new developments are. Overall, your feedback will help us shape a balanced approach that supports sustainable travel while meeting local needs.

Environment

We want to hear your views on how we can protect the environment while planning for future growth. Different places face different pressures, from wildlife and landscapes to heritage and flood risk and your insight can help us understand what matters most locally. We’re also interested in how the Plan should approach green spaces, nature recovery and biodiversity, including whether new development should be required to deliver no net loss of biodiversity. Your feedback will help shape a new Local Plan that supports growth while safeguarding the County’s natural assets.

We have prepared a Strategic Environmental Assessment screening document as additional information. This document plays a critical role in identifying, predicting, and addressing the potential environmental implications of the emerging Local Plan at this early stage.

Community facilities and local services

We’d like to hear what community facilities and services matter most to you in your area. Different places have different needs, from schools and healthcare to parks, sports facilities and spaces for young people and your insight will help us understand where the gaps are. We’re also interested in your views on how new development should contribute to improving these facilities so that growth benefits both new and existing communities.

Health, food and local quality of life

We are interested in your ideas for creating healthier neighbourhoods across the county. This includes how we manage things like hot food takeaways, whether new developments should provide spaces for community growing, and what else would help people lead healthier, more active lives.

Next steps and timeline for adopting the Local Plan

The new Local Plan follows a clear timetable of development, beginning with this eight week scoping consultation which ends on 17 August 2026. Following review and analysis of all the feedback we will undertake a formal self-assessment during September 2026.

Further public consultation will take place in March 2027, focused on proposed content for the Local Plan followed by consultation on the proposed Local Plan document in Autumn 2027. For the Plan to be adopted formally, we will undertake a further assessment and examination. It is hoped the new plan would then be adopted from March 2029.

Supporting information: There are a number of additional supporting documents that you may wish to read prior to giving your feedback. These documents are available at Supporting Documents for County Durham Plan scoping consultation.

Equality Impact Assessment (EIA): As part of this consultation, an EIA is being developed to help inform the final decision. For more information about EIAs visit our About Us page.