The Local Plan (the Sheffield Plan) guides future growth in Sheffield.
The Draft Sheffield Plan sets out how and where development will take place up to 2039. It was submitted to Government for independent examination on 6 October 2023 under Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Examination timeline
Following appointment of the 3 Inspectors, they issued:
- initial questions for the Council
- matters, issues and questions for the examination
- a draft timetable for the hearings
- a guidance note for participants that will be placed in the examination library
A series of public hearings took place from May 2024 to November 2024. In February 2025, the Inspectors wrote to the Council regarding their views on the way forward. The letter contained recommendations including the need to provide more homes and land for employment. The Council was tasked with identifying land for an additional 3,529 homes. The Inspectors also asked us to find an additional 53 hectares of land for employment uses.
Consultation on additional site allocations
We are now carrying out focused consultation. You can comment on the soundness and legal compliance of 14 additional site allocations for inclusion in the Plan before they are submitted to the Inspectors for consideration through the Sheffield Plan Examination. The consultation period runs from 29 May 2025 to 11 July 2025. Further details can be found on the Council's consultation website.
Examination website
This contains all the submission documentation, information on the examination process and further updates since the examination started.
It also contains contact details for the independent programme officer, Ian Kemp, who is the point of contact for any questions about the examination. All correspondence with the Inspectors should be addressed through him.
Background
As the local planning authority, we’re responsible for producing the Local Plan (the Sheffield Plan) which guides future growth in Sheffield. This helps us decide where and when development will take place up to 2039.
Our current adopted Local Plan comprises the Core Strategy (2009) and saved policies from the Unitary Development Plan (1998). Once adopted (finalised), the Sheffield Plan will replace these documents.
Following consultation on the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan in January and February 2023, we proposed amendments to the Draft Sheffield Plan which were approved by Full Council on the 6 September 2023.
The proposed amendments will be considered by the Inspector as part of the public examination of the Plan.
For further information about previous stages of the Sheffield Plan, please see Emerging Draft Sheffield Plan.