Skip to main content
Collection

Create or update a local plan using the new system

Information and resources for local planning authorities on preparing a local plan under the new plan-making system.

Updates to this page

From:
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Published:
27 November 2025
Last updated:
1 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. The bullet points in the section 'About this collection' have been updated. Updates include the addition of links to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 and the August 2026 National Planning Policy Framework.

  2. The guidance page 'Plan-making and local government reorganisation' has been updated to take account of the announcement by the Secretary of State on 7 September 2026 that there will be a pausing and review of the local government reorganisation programme.

  3. New guidance page published on 'Plan-making and local government reorganisation'. This provides information for two-tier authorities about transitioning their plan-making to single tier unitary authorities.

  4. Two new guidance pages have been published. These focus on what LPAs need to do to pass through Gateways 2 and 3. The way we group the documents in the collection has also been improved, so that the headings and summaries correspond to tasks in the 30-month plan preparation process.

  5. Added a link to the check and provide service. We have also removed 'plan and plan timetable template' from the collection.

  6. Updated to include guidance on: Engaging the public when preparing a local plan, Issue a requirement to assist notice, Making your local plan documents publicly available, Plan and plan timetable template, Publishing your local plan housing requirement, Publish your plan data.

  7. The page has been updated to incorporate the regulations which are now in force from 25 March 2026. Callout box at the top of the page has been updated to 'We will review this guidance and make any necessary revisions and updates as the new system is implemented and related policy is confirmed.' Under the heading ‘Provide feedback on this guidance’ the email address has been removed and replaced by a link to a feedback form.

  8. First published.

About this collection 

This collection brings together guidance and resources for local planning authorities (LPAs) preparing a local plan under the new plan-making system. 

The term ‘new plan-making system’ relates to: 

For plans under the legacy plan-making system  

If you are submitting your plan under the legacy system, use the create or update a local plan legacy system guidance. 

The legacy system covers plans to be adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (excluding the amendments made by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023) and The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

Using this guidance

This is draft guidance and may change.

We will review this guidance and make any necessary revisions and updates as the new system is implemented and related policy is confirmed.  

This guidance covers the first steps in preparing a plan under the new system, along with other parts of the plan-making process. It will eventually cover the full process of the new plan-making system.

We’ve published this guidance to let you see the upcoming changes to the new plan-making system and help you begin your new local plan immediately.

Find out when this guidance changes

Get notified when this page changes by selecting the ‘Get emails about this page’ button at the top of this page.

Provide feedback on this guidance

You can give feedback in our form to help shape and inform the final version of this guidance.

This is not a formal consultation.

Other resources to use alongside this collection 

Check and provide your planning data

To meet the approved data standard, use the check and provide service to help prepare, check and provide data about your plan.

Providing data will make your plan available on the national map and the national list of local plans. This means that we will have one place where anyone can:

  • check how plan-making is progressing across England
  • see how many homes each area is planning for

Get support with different aspects of plan-making 

Get support with local plans from the Planning Advisory Service.   

Read case studies on how local planning authorities have used digital technology for various aspects of plan-making.

About the new plan-making system

Information on the new plan-making system and its rollout, with a roadmap setting out when guidance and tools will become available.

Getting ready to start a local plan

How local planning authorities can prepare to start a plan under the new system.

Passing through Gateway 1

How to self-assess your readiness to start the 30-month plan preparation process.

Publishing your plan data

How to follow the approved data standards to publish your plan dataset, plan timetable dataset and housing requirement data.

Engaging stakeholders and communities

How to carry out consultations, define your community engagement strategy and make documents available for public inspection.

Setting your vision and strategy

What you should consider and how to prepare the vision and strategy for your local plan.

Selecting sites for development

Understand the process of identifying, assessing and selecting sites for allocation in a local plan.

Passing through Gateways 2 and 3

How to check your progress with the Planning Inspectorate and make sure your local plan is ready to submit for examination.

Contents