Engagement Plan

This document applies to engagement on the preparation, examination and adoption of the Broxtowe Local Plan. It does not apply to planning applications, neighbourhood plans or other Council consultations.

The Council may review and update this Engagement Plan(.pdf)(4.2MB)(Opens in New Window) (Opens in a New Window) during the plan-making process to reflect:

• feedback from consultation; 
• changes to legislation or national guidance;
• changes to the Local Plan timetable;
• the effectiveness of previous engagement;
• emerging project requirements; and
• available resources.

Contents of the document are as follows:

1. Purpose
2. Status and review
3. Local Plan timetable
4. Engagement principles
5. Who the Council will engage
6. Engagement methods
7. Formal consultation stages
8. Examination and adoption
9. Consultation and response standards
10. Accessibility and data protection
11. Reporting and monitoring
12. Roles and responsibilities
13. Review

1. Purpose

This Engagement Plan explains how Broxtowe Borough Council intends to involve communities and stakeholders in preparing the new Broxtowe Local Plan.

The Local Plan will guide future development across the borough, including homes, employment, infrastructure, services, the environment and the quality of places.

Engagement will help the Council to:

• understand local views, priorities and concerns;
• inform the vision, strategy, policies and site allocations;
• meet statutory consultation requirements;
• provide opportunities for interested people and organisations to comment; and
• explain how consultation feedback has been considered.

This document applies to engagement on the preparation, examination and adoption of the Broxtowe Local Plan. It does not apply to planning applications, neighbourhood plans or other Council consultations.

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2. Status and review

This Engagement Plan should be read alongside the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement. It explains the practical and project-specific approach that will be taken to engagement during preparation of the new Broxtowe Local Plan. The Council will meet the applicable statutory requirements and the minimum standards set out in the Statement of Community Involvement. Where this Plan identifies additional engagement activity, this will supplement those requirements.

The Council may review and update this Engagement Plan during the plan-making process to reflect:

• feedback from consultation;
• changes to legislation or national guidance;
• changes to the Local Plan timetable;
• the effectiveness of previous engagement;
• emerging project requirements; and
• available resources.

The methods used at each stage will be proportionate to the purpose of the consultation, the matters being considered and the time and resources available.

Legislative and policy context

The Council is required to involve communities, stakeholders and prescribed bodies in preparing the Local Plan. Engagement will be undertaken in accordance with the legislation, regulations, national planning policy and guidance, and transitional arrangements applying at the relevant stage of plan preparation. This Plan explains how those requirements will be put into practice for the Broxtowe Local Plan.

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3. Local Plan timetable

The Council’s current Local Plan timetable identifies the following principal stages:

• Scoping consultation: September to October 2026;
• Gateway 1: October 2026;
• Proposed plan content and evidence consultation: Spring 2027;
• Gateway 2: September 2027, indicative;
• Proposed Local Plan consultation: Summer 2028;
• Gateway 3: September 2028, indicative;
• Submission for independent examination: September 2028; and
• Adoption: April 2029.

The timetable may be updated as preparation of the Local Plan progresses. Current information will be published on the Council’s Local Plan webpage.

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4. Engagement principles

The Council’s approach will be guided by the following principles.

4.1 Early

Engagement will take place at the formal stages required during preparation of the Local Plan. Where appropriate and practicable, the Council may also engage with relevant organisations between formal consultation stages.

4.2 Inclusive

The Council will seek views from a range of communities and stakeholders, including people who do not commonly participate in planning consultations.

The Council will take reasonable and proportionate steps to identify and reduce barriers to participation. These may include barriers relating to disability, language, literacy, age, caring responsibilities, digital access, confidence, awareness or the accessibility of technical planning information.

4.3 Proportionate

The scale and type of engagement will reflect:

• the stage of plan preparation;
• the nature and significance of the matters being considered;
• statutory requirements;
• the audiences likely to be interested or affected; and
• the time, staff and resources available.

Not every engagement method will be appropriate or practicable at every stage.

4.4 Accessible

Consultation information will be presented as clearly as practicable. The Council may use summaries, maps, diagrams, frequently asked questions or other explanatory material where these would help people understand the consultation.

The primary means of consultation is expected to be digital. Reasonable alternative arrangements will be considered where required to enable participation.

4.5 Transparent

For each formal consultation, the Council will explain:

• what is being consulted on;
• the purpose of the consultation;
• which matters are open to comment;
• how and when comments can be submitted;
• how personal information will be handled; and
• how the Council will report the main issues raised.

4.6 Responsive

Following each formal consultation, the Council will publish a summary of the feedback received and explain how it has been considered.

Consultation feedback will be considered alongside relevant evidence, legal requirements, national policy and other planning considerations. Consultation is not a referendum, and the Council may not be able to make every change requested.

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5. Who the Council will engage

The Council will invite the consultation bodies, organisations and people required by the relevant Local Plan regulations.

Depending on the stage and subject matter, engagement may include:

• residents and people working or studying in the borough;
• town and parish councils;
• community, voluntary, environmental and heritage organisations;
• organisations representing people with protected characteristics;
• businesses and business representatives;
• landowners, developers and planning professionals;
• infrastructure and service providers;
• statutory consultation bodies;
• neighbouring authorities and strategic partners;
• elected members; and
• relevant Council services.

The Council will maintain appropriate contact information for Local Plan consultations. People and organisations will be able to request notifications about future formal consultation stages, subject to data protection requirements.

The Council may undertake targeted engagement where this is considered necessary and proportionate. This could include engagement with organisations representing communities that may otherwise be less likely to participate.

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6. Engagement methods

The Council will determine the most appropriate engagement methods for each stage. The choice of methods will depend on the purpose and scale of the consultation, the intended audience, available resources and the statutory requirements applying at the time.

6.1 Digital engagement

Digital engagement is expected to be the main way in which consultation information is published and responses are received. This may include:

• the Council’s Local Plan webpages;
• an online consultation portal or response form;
• email notifications;
• online maps or other digital information, where appropriate; and
• publicity through the Council’s digital communication channels.

The methods used may vary between consultation stages.

6.2 Other engagement

Where appropriate and practicable, the Council may support digital consultation through one or more additional methods, such as:

• direct correspondence with relevant organisations;
• online or in-person briefings;
• targeted meetings or discussions;
• information provided through community or partner organisations;
• paper information or response forms at selected locations; and
• reasonable assistance for people who are unable to respond digitally.

The inclusion of a method in this Engagement Plan does not mean that it will be used at every consultation stage. The Council will select methods that are proportionate and deliverable within the Local Plan timetable.

Targeted engagement may be appropriate where a proposal has particular implications for a specific settlement, neighbourhood or community, or where additional local knowledge is needed to understand potential impacts and delivery considerations.

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7. Formal consultation stages

7.1 Scoping consultation

The scoping consultation is the first formal stage of preparing the Local Plan.

The Council will seek views on:

• what the Local Plan should contain;
• the main issues and opportunities it should address;
• the approach to future Local Plan engagement; and
• any other relevant matters identified by the Council.

The Council will invite the relevant general and specific consultation bodies, and anyone may submit a representation.

After the consultation, the Council will publish a summary of the feedback received and explain how it has been considered.

7.2 Proposed plan content and evidence consultation

The Council will consult on proposed plan content and evidence for at least six weeks.

The consultation material will include, as required:

• a draft vision and proposed measurable outcomes;
• proposed aims and objectives;
• a proposed spatial strategy approach;
• information about evidence gathered or intended to be gathered; and
• any other matters the Council considers appropriate.

The Council will invite the bodies and people required by the regulations, including those who have requested notification.

Following the consultation, the Council will publish a summary of the feedback received and explain how it has informed the next stage of plan preparation.

7.3 Proposed Local Plan consultation

Following Gateway 2, the Council will consult on the proposed Local Plan for six weeks.

The consultation documents will include, as required:

• the proposed Local Plan;
• the proposed policies map;
• relevant supporting evidence; and
• a summary of the main issues raised during previous statutory consultations and how they have been addressed.

The consultation will clearly explain how representations should be made and how they will be used as part of the submission and examination process.

Following the consultation, the Council will publish a consultation summary and make any updates considered appropriate before progressing to Gateway 3 and submission.

7.4 Engagement between formal stages

The Council may undertake additional or targeted engagement between statutory consultations where this would assist plan preparation and can be accommodated within the project timetable.

This could include discussions with statutory bodies, infrastructure providers, neighbouring authorities, landowners or other stakeholders about specific evidence or planning issues.

Such engagement will not replace the formal statutory consultations.

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8. Examination and adoption

The submitted Local Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector.

The Council will publish information about:

• submission of the Local Plan;
• examination documents;
• hearing arrangements;
• how people can observe or participate in the examination; and
• any consultation requested during the examination.

The Council will notify people who are entitled to, or have requested, relevant examination information.

Following adoption, the Council will publish the adopted Local Plan and notify those who have asked to be informed.

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9. Consultation and response standards

For each formal consultation, the Council will:

1. Publish the consultation dates and relevant documents;
2. Meet the applicable minimum consultation period;
3. Explain the purpose and scope of the consultation;
4. Provide a clear method for submitting comments;
5. Invite the bodies and people required by the regulations;
6. Consider representations received within the consultation period;
7. Handle personal information in accordance with data protection requirements; and
8. Publish a summary of the feedback and how it has been considered.

The Council may group responses that raise the same or similar matters when preparing consultation summaries. Campaign and standardised responses will be recorded fairly.

The Council cannot guarantee that representations received after a consultation deadline will be taken into account.

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10. Accessibility and data protection

The Council will seek to ensure that consultation material is clear and that its digital consultation arrangements meet relevant accessibility requirements.

Alternative formats or reasonable assistance will be considered on request, having regard to individual needs, practicality and available resources.

Data is collected in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Statement.

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11. Reporting and monitoring

Following each formal consultation, the Council will publish a proportionate summary setting out:

• the consultation undertaken;
• the number and broad type of responses received;
• the main issues raised;
• how those issues have been considered; and
• any resulting changes or further work.

The Council may also review available information about the reach and effectiveness of the consultation. This will help determine whether any changes should be made to the approach at subsequent stages.

The Council will consider feedback about the engagement process where it identifies barriers to participation or proportionate improvements that could be made at future stages.

Monitoring will be proportionate and will depend on the information available.

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12. Roles and responsibilities

The Planning Policy Team will lead the preparation and delivery of Local Plan consultations, including:

• maintaining relevant contact information;
• preparing consultation material;
• issuing required notifications;
• managing and analysing representations;
• maintaining an appropriate consultation record; and
• preparing consultation summaries.

The Communications Team will support:

• accessible public messaging;
• media releases;
• social media;
• campaign scheduling;

Other Council teams, elected members and external organisations may support engagement where this is appropriate and resources allow.

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13. Review

This Engagement Plan will be kept under review throughout preparation of the Local Plan.

The Council may amend it where needed to reflect:

• consultation feedback;
• experience from previous stages;
• changes to legislation or guidance;
• changes to the Local Plan timetable;
• gateway observations or advice; and
• available resources.

Any updated version will be published on the Council’s Local Plan webpage.

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