Notice of Local Plan Scoping Consultation

Hart Local Plan 2044

Notice of Scoping Consultation

The Council is preparing a new local plan – the Hart Local Plan 2044.

At this early stage, in accordance with Regulation 20 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2026, the Council is inviting representations from relevant ‘specific’ and ‘general’ consultation bodies (defined in Regulation 2 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026) on: 

(i) such matters relevant to the preparation of the local plan as the Council or body considers appropriate, including what the plan should contain, and 

(ii) how the Council should engage with them in the preparation of the Local Plan. 

Any person or organisation may make representations on these matters. 

Details of the consultation can be found on the New Local Plan webpage

A scoping consultation document is available on-line via the Placemaker engagement platform. Once you have registered you can view the document, respond to the questions from within the document, and submit your response. 

Representations must be received by the Council no later than midnight on Friday 19 June 2026. 

Representations may also be sent to localplan@hart.gov.uk or in hard copy to Planning Policy & Economic Development, Hart District Council, Civic Offices, Harlington Way, Fleet, GU51 4AE. 

You can also request to be notified when one or more of the following steps occur: 

(i)  When the Council publishes the consultation on the proposed local plan content and evidence (the second formal consultation on the Local Plan under Regulation 23(1)(b) of the Town and Country (Local Planning)(England) Regulations 2026). 

(ii) When the Council publishes observations or advice received from a person appointed by the Secretary of State (under section 15CA(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)). This is also known as the Gateway 2 Assessment.

(iii) When the Council consults on the proposed local plan (the third formal consultation on the Local Plan under regulation 27(1)(b) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning)(England) Regulations 2026). 

(iv) When the Council submits the proposed local plan to the Secretary of State for independent examination (under section 15D(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)); 

(v) When the date, time and place of the Examination hearings and the name of the Examiner is published (under regulation 35(2) and regulation 35(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning)(England) Regulations 2026). 

(vi) If the local plan examination is paused by the Examiner so that further work can be carried out (under section 15D(7) and section 15DA of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)); 

(vii) When a document or evidence is sent to the Examiner and/or published whilst the Examination is paused (under section 15DA(6) and 15DA(7) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)); 

(viii) When the Council publishes the Examiner’s recommendations and reasons (under section 15 D or 15DA and in accordance with section 15D(13) or section 15DA(10) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)); 

(ix) When the Council adopts the local plan (under Part 2 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)). 

If you wish to be notified at these stages, please register for our Local Plan database at Planning Policy consultation database | Hart District Council.

If you wish to be notified for a selection of these stages, but not all stages, please register for the Local Plan database but also email localplan@hart.gov.uk indicating at which of these stages you wish to be notified.

If you have any questions regarding the consultation or would like any further information, please contact the Planning Policy Team: 

Email: localplan@hart.gov.uk 

27 May 2026