Dorset Council Local Plan Option Consultation

This consultation document sets out opportunities for meeting the development needs of the Dorset Council area. It will help form the Dorset Council Local Plan which will be used when making planning decisions in Dorset.

The Local Plan will be Dorset Council’s response to the Government’s commitment to addressing the shortage of housing, to enable economic growth and deliver essential infrastructure to enable this growth. It will also set out how planning decisions will seek to conserve and enhance the environment, including measures to address climate change.

Dorset Council is seeking feedback on the identified opportunities to help prepare for the next round of the local plan production.

Alongside the Dorset Council Local Plan Options Consultation 2025 and its Appendices A-D (Appendix A – Opportunity Sites for Housing; Appendix B – Opportunity Sites for Employment; Appendix C – Opportunity Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople; and Appendix D – Opportunity areas for renewable energy) the Council has published a Habitats Regulation Assessment, a Sustainability Appraisal and a number of background papers and evidence reports.