What is the Local Plan
Each local authority is required to prepare a Local Plan for its area. Southend’s next Local Plan will set out policies and proposals to guide the city’s development up to the 2040s and beyond.
In preparing the local plan we are asking for people’s views on important topics such as Housing, Infrastructure, Green Space, Climate Change and the Environment, Economy, Transport and the Airport, and how we can best plan to accommodate future needs taking all the different demands on land use into account.
Having an up-to-date Local Plan that is shaped through community engagement provides an important tool to help manage future development proposals that would otherwise come forward without local policies guiding their type, scale and location.
The new Local Plan will replace the existing suite of planning policy documents – Adopted Plans | Southend-on-Sea City Council
How to have your say
Everyone interested in the future planning of Southend can get involved with the preparation of its Local Plan. This includes, individuals, businesses, Leigh Town Council, interest groups and agencies.
We have already consulted on two stages of the plan – find out more here:
Local Plan Issues and Options PDF | Southend Local Plan - this set out the broad range of issues and opportunities that need to be addressed through the local plan.
Local Plan Refining the Plan Options PDF | Southend Local Plan - this suggested a set of broad spatial options for managing growth of the city over the plan period. A Local plan exhibition and video is available for this stage here: https://localplanexhibition.southend.gov.uk/
During Summer/Autumn 2025 we will be engaging with local communities on the next stage of plan making: 'Preferred Approach with Options' - this will include draft policies on a range of themes including health and wellbeing, climate change, employment and housing, transport and infrastructure, as well as draft site allocations and options where future growth should be directed.
Information about the public consultation will also be provided on social media and local press.
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Comment online and download questions |
Please use the tabs at the top of this webpage to navigate through the Local Plan During consultation you can view hard copies of the Local Plan document at the Civic Centre and all Southend libraries |
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email us at |
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Or write to us at |
Planning Policy, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, PO Box 6, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER |
If you would like to be notified of future planning policy consultations, you can sign up to our planning policy consultation database. Please contact planningpolicy@southend.gov.uk or telephone 01702 212114.
What Happens next
Comments and views made on the forthcoming public consultation will help shape a draft Submission document which will be subject to further public consultation in 2026 before being submitted to be examined by an independent Inspector.