Rutland County Councillors have tonight (Mon) approved the pre-submission version of Rutland's next Local Plan.

The local plan sets out planning policies for the Rutland area, as well as listing sites for additional housing, employment or other development for the period 2018 to 2036.

Full Council began the process of considering the Pre-Submission Local Plan at a special meeting on Monday, 27 January, with a recommendation to approve the plan for further statutory consultation.

This meeting was adjourned after almost three hours because councillors needed more time to consider possible amendments and continue their deliberations.

The meeting was reconvened tonight (Mon), where vouncillors voted 15 to 10 in favour of approving the Pre-Submission Local Plan, with one abstention.

Having been approved by Full Council, the Pre-Submission Local Plan will shortly be published for further statutory consultation to enable representations to be made as to its soundness.

Start and end dates for the consultation will be confirmed in due course.

The document and all supporting evidence, together with all responses to the consultation, will then be submitted to the Government for public examination by an independent Planning Inspector.

Coun Gordon Brown, Cabinet Member for Planning at Rutland County Council, said: "Full Council has reviewed the pre-submission version of Rutland's next Local Plan in great detail and subsequently approved it for further consultation.

"This is an important step in the process of finalising a local plan that will ensure Rutland has a robust and up-to-date set of planning policies to guide future development in the county.

"The plan is also intended to make sure we have the right supply of housing and business space, in the most suitable areas, in order to meet local needs over the next 15 years."