Public Consultation Opens

RESIDENTS, businesses and community groups across Rochford are being invited to have their say on the future of the district as the public consultation on the draft Local Plan.
This is the ‘Regulation 18’ stage – a chance to weigh in on an early draft. The emerging plan sets out ideas about how Rochford could look over the next 15 years, including where new jobs and homes might go, what infrastructure could be secured to support the future, how towns and villages could evolve, and how important countryside and green spaces can be protected.
At this stage, nothing is fixed: “This is about creating a Local Plan together so that it is truly local,” said Coun Danielle Belton, Leader of Rochford District Council.
“These are early ideas, not final decisions. The purpose of the consultation is to test them in public and hear what people think. What do you support or disagree with? What do you know about your area that might have a bearing on the plans? Tell us and be part of the discussion. Help us to create a plan that is truly local – based on local evidence and local need.”
A council statement said: “A Local Plan guides development in the district for at least 15 years. It shapes many aspects of life: how neighbourhoods look , feel and work, where public amenities are, the availability of affordable homes, and the protection of landscapes and wildlife. With the Government reorganising local councils in the coming years, it will be handed over to a new authority in 2028 to form a basis for future strategy.
“The Regulation 18 consultation, which runs for six weeks until Tuesday 24 March 2026, is designed to be open and exploratory. It is about testing ideas in public before anything is narrowed down. Whether it’s a few lines or a longer response, every comment is considered.”
Full details, including how to comment, are available on Rochford District Council’s website at www.rochford.gov.uk/newlocalplan.
For those not online, can find hard copies and paper forms at the following locations: Rochford District Council reception inside Rochford Library, 8 Roche Close SS4 1PX.
Other local libraries across the district: The Mill Arts & Events Centre, Bellingham Lane, Rayleigh SS6 7ED, Clements Hall Leisure Centre, Hockley SS5 4LN and Rayleigh Leisure Centre, Rawreth Lane SS6. 9NF.
Picture: Coun Danielle Belton, Leader of Rochford District Council
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