The Development Plan for an area forms the starting point in every planning decision. In Havant, the Development Plan comprises:

• The Local Plan (see information below)
• The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan
• The Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan 

The development plan sets out the vision for future development in the borough, identifies what areas should be developed, and what requirements and standards developers should meet in their proposals.

The Local Plan (Core Strategy and Site Allocations) (adopted)

The adopted Local Plan is made up of the Core Strategy (2011) and the Site Allocations Plan (2014).  These two plans are part of the development plan and form the starting point for decisions on planning applications.

The Havant Borough Local Plan 2036 (withdrawn)

The Council was working on a new local plan to replace the Core Strategy and Allocations plan.  This went through multiple stages of consultation, but an independent inspector raised a number of concerns, leading to the plan being withdrawn in 2021.  

The ‘Building a Better Future Plan’ (emerging)

The Council is working on a new Local Plan to replace the Core Strategy and Allocations Plans. The adopted plan will remain in place until the new plan is adopted, though the policies in the emerging plan will begin to show a direction of travel and will gain some weight as the plan progresses through its stages of development.

The Housing Delivery Position Statement

Pending the emergence of the Building a Better Future Plan, the Council has adopted a Housing Delivery Position Statement, which sets out how planning applications for housing will be considered in the interim, in order to ensure that development needs can continue to be met while the new plan is prepared.