Local Plan Programme Planning

Project Manager and planner sought to enable Slough to face the challenge of submitting a Local Plan for examination in Dec ’26.

Details

• When: Aug 2025 - Feb 2026
• Budget: up to 1 FTE post, full-time
• Location: hybrid working between Observatory House, Slough, and remote
• Deliverables: three milestones over 6 months on the following

Summary of project

The Council is progressing with its Local Plan and needs a project manager for the next stage to enable it to:

– Scope and commission three studies: a Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment; Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs assessment; and an update to the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping report.

– Note Slough-specific planning issues needed to submit the Local Plan to PINS for Dec 26, including a Regulation 19 consultation in February 2026.

– Review the evidence and process to date for the production of Slough’s Local Plan in light of current SBC policy and emerging MHCLG policy.

– Update the project plan to programme the project (Process, Evidence base, and Policies).

– Scope and procure the evidence base for Regulation 19 to Submission.

– Enable drafting of topic and committee reports.

More information is provided below.

Project detail

Around 25 studies are needed to provide the evidence base to enable the plan to progress. Initially, the priority is to commission three studies (*), and work with the public health team supporting a health infrastructure study.

The next step is to produce a work programme and continue with the evidence base.

A table of the evidence required before submission is included below. The current programme and Regulation 18 work require a refresh to update priorities and policy responses.

This post is to initiate this work, with a priority to gather evidence. It can be extended for the right candidate to continue.

PROGRAMME BUDGET

The current plan needs a refresh, but funds are available for evidence gathering, awareness of the need to complete the Local Plan, and scope for additional staff.

PROGRAMME TIMELINE

SBC aims to progress the plan for submission in Dec ’26. The timeline is ambitious, with most evidence collection in the 2025/26 financial year, followed by policy formulation.

The draft Spatial Strategy met Regulation 18 requirements in April 2022, but progress paused due to funding diversion. A new call for sites was completed in May this year. The LDS is draft. The government has provided a grant to support progress.

PINS suggested in January that the deadline is feasible, but considerations include potential impacts of Heathrow Expansion and housing land supply shortfalls.

PROGRAMME PLANNING PROCESS

Support is needed to review and report on, or initiate where appropriate, the following stages:

• 1) Sign-off on Project and Business Case with outline project plan
• 2) Appointment of key resources for programme development
• 3) Develop detailed project plan with key deliverables
• 4) Reporting against targets and milestones
• 5) Ongoing change control (Local Plan Boards to be established)

PROGRAMME RISKS/OPPORTUNITIES

• The Local Plan can leverage funding, incentives, and support housing, regeneration, and manifesto priorities such as health determinants.
• The plan must address Heathrow, both short-term and long-term, to accommodate expansion.
• Without a well-structured plan, risks include over-intensification, infrastructure overload, poor design, increased crime, daylight and air quality issues, and lack of employment areas.
• Pressures include speculative datacentres, regeneration of major sites, viability challenges, and low housing completions.
• The plan will support reviewing Green Belt boundaries, including releases for housing, preferably within Slough.
• The Council is operating under Government Intervention.

If you believe this role is suitable for you, please send your CV to rebeccabentum@carringtonblakerecruitment.com