THE South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) will be published in the autumn following a 12-month delay due to the pandemic.
South Worcestershire councils have agreed a revised timetable for the document which sets out plans for 14,000 new homes across Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon by 2041.
This on top of the need for 28,400 new homes by 2030, more than half of which have already been built.
It will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in the spring of 2022 and is expected to be publicly examined by an independently appointed inspector later the same year.
If it passes the examination stage, it will be put to a vote by all three councils to be formally adopted in spring 2023.
A consultation on the plan is set to take place in October and November 2021.
County Councillor Lucy Hodgson, chair of the SWDP Joint Advisory Panel, said: “I’m pleased we have been able to make progress on this important document once again. “We cannot rule out further delays as we are still in the midst of this global pandemic, but we will work hard to avoid that.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances or events outside of our control, I look forward to seeing the plan published later this year.”
Coun Hodgson added there has been a large number of responses to the consultation on the proposed development sites.
“These have all been analysed and some of the technical issues raised have been addressed in a Sustainability Appraisal which will go out to consultation shortly, subject to approval by all three councils,” she said.
