Southampton City Council is inviting residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders to take part in the first consultation on the new Southampton Local Plan.

The council had previously begun work on a new Local Plan under the former planning system and consulted on emerging proposals in 2020 and 2022. However, significant changes introduced by Government earlier in the year to streamline the process, make it easier to understand and more consistent, have created a new national plan-making process that all councils must now follow. This means Southampton must begin preparing its Local Plan under the new system.

This consultation, known as the scoping consultation, will run from Monday 7 September to Sunday 11 October 2026 and marks the first stage in creating a new Local Plan for the city under the new rules.

Importantly, the views shared by residents and organisations during previous consultations remains relevant. The council will continue to use feedback received as part of the evidence base informing the new Local Plan. The responses have already helped shape the questions being asked in the new scoping consultation and will continue to inform the plan as it develops. The current consultation provides an opportunity to test whether those priorities remain relevant today and identify any new issues that may have emerged in recent years.

The scoping consultation is the first of three formal consultations that will take place as the Local Plan is prepared. It focuses on the broad issues and priorities that the plan should address, as well as how people would like to be involved and kept informed as work progresses.

Alongside the Local Plan consultation, the council is also carrying out a Strategic Environmental Assessment scoping consultation and a final call for potential development sites. These will help ensure the plan is supported by a comprehensive evidence base and considers environmental impacts from the outset.

Following the scoping consultation, a further consultation will take place on the proposed plan content and supporting evidence followed by the final consultation on a full draft of the Local Plan.

Councillor Sarah Bogle, Leader of Southampton City Council, said: “I would like to thank everyone who previously shared their views on the future of Southampton. I want to reassure you that those comments remain valuable and continue to form an important part of the evidence base for the new Local Plan.

“The planning system has changed significantly, requiring us to prepare a new plan under a new national process. This consultation is our opportunity to check whether the priorities identified by residents previously are still the right ones and to hear about any new challenges or opportunities facing the city.

“Whether you have taken part before or are getting involved for the first time, I would like as many people as possible to share their views, starting now, but over the next few years to help shape Southampton’s future.”

Local people, businesses and stakeholders will be able to take part in the consultation and find out more information from 7 September by visiting the Local Plan pages on the council’s website.