Somerset Council has submitted proposals to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to update the Mendip Local Plan Part II (LPP2) which runs to 2029.

The LPP2 site allocations plan was adopted by the former Mendip District Council in December 2021 but was subject to a successful legal challenge.

The High Court deleted 5 housing sites from the LPP2 and ordered the Council to reconsider and identify sites for at least 505 dwellings in the former Mendip District area, see Amended High Court Order – AC2023-LON-000845 sealed 11 March 2024.

The Council has now met the Court deadline to submit proposals by 30 September, see C4 Notice of Submission.

The Limited Update document identifies 9 sites capable of delivering 569 dwellings by 2028. More than 120 housing sites were put forward or considered in the process.

The Limited Update is now subject to examination by an independent Planning Inspector with public hearings likely to take place in early 2025. Representations to the finalised proposals which were published in July will be taken into account.

The submitted housing sites do not make changes to the adopted Mendip Local Plan Part I or change other policies in LPP2.

Once the Inspector has reported and the policies adopted, the Limited Update will form part of the Development Plan for Mendip alongside Local Plan Parts I and II. The Limited Update, supporting documents  and representations made can be found by selecting ‘Mendip (East)’ on the Council’s Adopted Local Plans page.

Details and progress of the examination will be updated online via the Council’s Mendip Local Plan Part II Limited Update Examination page.

A new Somerset wide plan is in preparation which will consider future housing sites after 2029.