Local Plan Review

Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) Consultation

The Council needs to allocate sufficient land to provide 18,959 new homes over the next 15 years. This figure has been calculated in accordance with the government’s standard method. Around 9,327 of these will be built on sites which were allocated previously within the existing Local Plan. 

Our draft plan focuses housing and employment development in the most sustainable locations or where development of a strategic scale can be achieved to provide high levels of sustainability. This includes allocating land on the edges of main towns at Braintree, Halstead and Witham and at Key Service Villages such as Kelvedon, Hatfield Peverel and Coggeshall where there is the ability to access major roads like the A12 and the A120. The plan also includes policies which sets out design criteria as well as ones to protect and support the conservation of the district’s landscape and historic environment, which are key to providing a sense of place.

Following the initial call for sites and Issues and Options consultation, all the proposed sites and policies have been considered at Local Plan Sub-Committee and the Preferred Options document was approved for consultation by Council on 2 February 2026.

This consultation (known as Preferred Options - Regulation 18) is the next major stage in seeking your views on the draft updated Local Plan document. 

Consutation Portal - read and respond

The consultation is open until 5pm on Friday 17 April 2026.

We want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to take part in the consultation and share their views as part of the Local Plan process.

Explainer video 

Paper copies of the draft Local Plan document are available to view at:

• Braintree district libraries
• Our consultation events
• Causeway House, Braintree, Essex CM7 9HB.

Drop-in exhibitions

We are holding a number of in-person events across the district where you can learn more about the proposals and ask questions of our team: 

• Hatfield Peverel Village Hall - Monday 9 March
• The Institute, Kelvedon - Tuesday 10 March
• Coggeshall Village Hall (Main Hall) - Wednesday 11 March
• Braintree Town Hall - Tuesday 17 March
• Queens Hall, Halstead - Wednesday 18 March
• Cressing Sports and Social Club - Thursday 19th March

All events will take place between 3pm and 7pm.

Virtual online webinar 

A virtual webinar will also be held on Tuesday 24 March 2026 for anyone who wants to find out more about the proposals and learn more about the Local Plan Review process. Registration is available on a first come first served basis which you can do here. 

A recording of the webinar will be available on this page afterwards for anyone who is unable to attend. 

Useful documents and links

• pdf version of the Preferred Options Document - 23.09MB
• Consultation summary leaflet
• Consultation poster 

What happens next

Once this consultation is finished, we will use the feedback to shape a final draft of the document.  At this point, everyone will have the opportunity to provide further comments before we submit the plan to an independent inspector for examination. Once adopted, the plan will provide the framework for development across the district for the next 15 years.

How to keep updated 

Sign up to our planning e-newsletter

Sign up to our Planning Policy Consultation Portal

Updated 3 March 2026