Portland Neighbourhood News

Portland Neighbourhood Plan Review

March 2024 Update

As previously advised a review of the Portland Neighbourhood Plan has been underway for the past year or so, to ensure the Plan accords with the new Dorset Local Plan.


A case for ‘controlled growth’, based on the findings of an ‘Interim Strategic Environmental Assessment’ produced by AECOM, was discussed at the Planning, Highways and Licensing Committee (Sept 2023). The Committee referred the matter to the October Full Council meeting.


At that meeting, in response to several representations, it was agreed that the Island’s growth strategy should focus on sites within the existing permitted development boundaries.


Following the Town Council’s decision, an updated review and assessment of sites inside the permitted development boundaries , including an estimate of their capacity, has been commissioned from AECOM; who have also been asked to appraise the potential of brownfield sites outside the built-up areas. In parallel, the Town Council has commissioned a ‘design codes’ report that builds on the Heritage and Character Study Report produced in 2017. Both pieces of work are grant-aided.


Following the assessment work, the Town Council intends to undertake Community wide consultation on the draft – updated - Neighbourhood plan (see also below).


Further work has also been commissioned regarding future energy demand levels. This should link up with a Grid Network review currently ongoing by Dorset Council.


Related Issues

Flexibility of potential land use has been highlighted in the recent Call for Sites by Dorset Council, as this will now include opportunities for renewable energy and those which offer improvements to Biodiversity Net Gain.


Other relevant developments include a proposed review of the Shoreline Management Plan and the initial stages of the Local Transport Plan 4 consultation.


In other associated news, recent changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (Dec 2023) have improved the robustness of the Neighbourhood Plan by extending its materiality to five years (up to June 2026). The NPPF also endorses the work of Community Led Organisations in focusing on addressing Local Housing Need.


Community Consultations


Neighbourhood Plan

As set out above It is intended that the findings from various studies will come together and form the basis of a major community consultation on Portland in the late Spring of 2024 in association with the preparation of an updated Neighbourhood Plan.


New Dorset Local Plan

Dorset Council has recently announced a revised timetable for the production of the new Dorset Local Plan and are expecting to hold an initial consultation in September 2024. We will need to ensure that our work informs the preparation of the Local Plan and ensures the benefits of having a Neighbourhood Plan is not compromised by not having a new Local Plan until 26/27


See this Dorset Council link for details.

Portland Neighbourhood Plan Review

May 2023 Update

The PCP supports Portland Town Council in regard to matters concerning the Neighbourhood Plan. As confirmed in 2022 due to changes in the National Planning Policy Framework a review of the current plan was agreed in order to make this more robust moving forward extending the end date from 2031 to 2038. Details of how the Council arrived at this decision and links to the current plan can be found here Portland Community Partnership, Portland Dorset UK.


Full details and associated document can be found here.

Update 2022 - Publication of the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework

Following the publication in 2021 of the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework National Planning Policy Framework - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) changes to the section in regard to Neighbourhood Planning meant that to improve its ability to be materially considered particularly in issues around housing an early review maybe needed.


PCP Members have been supporting Portland Town Council with developing this review summary details can be found via these links


The case for a review – Annex C on this agenda

220223_Planning_Highways_Agenda_Merged.pdf (portlandtowncouncil.gov.uk)


Consultants Confirmation Report- Annex C on this agenda

220427_Planning_Highways_Agenda_3_Merged.pdf (portlandtowncouncil.gov.uk)

Referendum Result

Portland Neighbourhood Plan Decision by Dorset Council


At the Dorset Cabinet meeting of the 22nd June 2021 approval was given for the Portland Neighbourhood Plan to become part of the Local Development Plan for the area.


The full decision notice can be found here 


We are currently evaluating the next stages now this baseline is in place and future updates will be announced on this page.


Decision to proceed to referendum

Following the successful examination of the Portland Neighbourhood Plan, Dorset Council agreed to enable the plan, as amended to proceed to referendum. The Council released a Decision Statement to this effect.  Portland Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Draft (as proposed and amended as a result of the examination) and the accompanying Maps book 1 and book 2 can now be given significant weight in decision-making. 


Documents relating to the referendum are listed below:



Neighbourhood Plan Examination

An independent examiner Mary O'Rourke was appointed to examine the Portland Neighbourhood Plan. The independent examiner's report was released on 21 January 2020 with the recommendation that the Portland Neighbourhood Plan should, subject to modification, proceed to referendum.


The examiner wrote to us and Portland Town Council on the 7 November 2019 to clarify several initial procedural matters. On 22 November 2019 Dorset Council and Portland Town Council received a letter from the examiner to ask a number of questions. On 25 November 2019 we supplied the examiner with a hard copy of the Shoreline Management Plan summary leaflet requested by question six. We wrote back to the examiner on 5 December 2019 in response to the remaining questions.


Portland Town Council also wrote back on 5 December 2019 and provided the following documents in support of their response.



On 21 January 2020 the examiner wrote to Dorset Council and Portland Town Council to issue her examination report.


The report recommends that the Portland Neighbourhood Plan should, subject to modification, proceed to referendum.


As part of her examination of the plan, the examiner had to consider whether the plan meets certain basic conditions and satisfies legal requirements.


The basic conditions are set out in the legislation and are intended to ensure that neighbourhood plans fit within their wider context. The plan must: -


  • have regard to national planning policies and guidance
  • contribute to achieving sustainable development
  • be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the development plan ie the West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Adopted Local Plan
  • be compatible with European Union law and human rights obligations
  • not breach the requirements of Chapter 8 of Part 6 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017


The examiner provided a review of the plan and made recommendations in accordance with the 2011 Localism Act and related regulations.


If the neighbourhood plan is supported by a local referendum, it will be used to make decisions on planning applications.


Consultation on the Submitted Plan

As the local planning authority, the council is required to consult on the plan proposals before the examination takes place. The consultation process ran from 15 August 2019 until 9 October 2019. This was an opportunity for individuals and organisations to raise concerns they had about the plan with regard to the content and how it was prepared. An independent examiner was appointed, and any concerns were passed on to them for consideration as part of the examination process. A summary of the comments was forwarded to the town council and will be published on the website.


Submission Documents

The Portland Neighbourhood Plan is available to read together with the supporting documents which are as follows:



Dorset Council, the competent authority responsible for undertaking a Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) of the neighbourhood plan, produced a HRA in June 2019. The HRA uses information from a report by AECOM, produced in December 2018 on behalf of Portland Town Council, and was submitted with the plan. An addendum to update the HRA was produced in July 2019 following a consultation response from Natural England. The HRA and its addendum conclude that the neighbourhood plan will not adversely affect the integrity of a European site (designated areas of exceptional ecological importance) providing a number of recommended changes are made to the plan. Policies in the neighbourhood plan were amended to reflect the recommendations of the HRA before the plan was submitted.


The examiner will consider the HRA and addendum, including the recommended changes, as part of their examination of the plan.

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