Evidence
Value of Evidence
8.1 Evidence shapes and underpins Local Plans. It shapes them by providing an understanding of local context (needs, opportunities and constraints) thereby informing proposals. It underpins them by providing justification for proposals – necessary to demonstrate ‘soundness’.
8.2 Government specifies that Local Plan evidence should be relevant, proportionate, not unnecessarily extensive and drawn from suitable up-to-date sources.
Our Evidence
8.3 We want to ensure that the evidence shaping and underpinning our next Local Plan is proportionate and robust. Reflecting this, we are drawing on a variety of sources in forming our evidence base.
8.4 The evidence to inform the next Shropshire Local Plan will be made available on our evidence base page.
Reviewing Existing Evidence
8.5 To ensure the efficient use of our resources, our starting point was to review the evidence base prepared to inform previous Local Plans in Shropshire and other work undertaken by the Council.
8.6 Through this review, we have identified key evidence that we consider is appropriate to inform the next Shropshire Local Plan. This includes:
a/ Green Infrastructure and Open Space Assessment.
b/ Playing Pitch Strategy.
c/ Indoor Leisure Facilities Strategy.
d/ Historic Farmsteads Characterisation.
e/ Historic Landscape Character Assessment.
f/ Shrewsbury Battlefield Heritage Assessment.
g/ Landscape Typology.
h/ Landscape and Visual Sensitivity Assessment.
i/ Strategic Employment Sites Assessments.
j/ Mineral Safeguarding Assessment.
k/ Town Centres Study.
l/ Renewable Energy Opportunity Mapping.
Reviewing Wider Strategies
8.7 Another source of existing evidence for our next Local Plan is wider Council strategies. Such strategies can provide important context and justification for proposals. Perhaps more importantly, their consideration provides an opportunity to enable delivery of their ambitions through our next Local Plan.
8.8 A summary of wider strategies that may inform and support preparation of our next Local Plan is provided in Appendix 1 of this consultation documentation.
Completed Evidence
8.9 In advance of issuing our notification of an ‘intention to commence’ plan-making, we have secured several new key pieces of evidence to inform our next Local Plan. This includes:
a/ Local Housing Need Assessment.
b/ Supported Specialist Housing and Accommodation Needs Assessment.
c/ Housing Demand Assessment.
d/ Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment.
Emerging Evidence
8.10 Alongside the evidence completed in advance of issuing our notification of an ‘intention to commence’ plan-making, we have also begun preparing other key pieces of evidence to inform our next Local Plan. This includes:
a/ Baselining and Monitoring: compiling demographic, economic and environmental data detailing the needs, opportunities, constraints and the wider context of Shropshire. Initial baselining is available via our information, intelligence and insight webpages. The Council’s latest Local Plan monitoring reports (Authority Monitoring Report, Five Year Housing Land Supply Statement, Brownfield Land Register and Local Aggregates Assessment) are available on our monitoring page.
b/ Economic Development Needs Assessment: determining the County’s local employment land needs and recommending reasonable options for the ‘employment land requirement’. A brief for the preparation of an Economic Development Needs Assessment has been prepared, and a tender to seek appropriate consultants will be issued soon.
c/ Place Plans and Infrastructure Delivery Plan: identifying key infrastructure needs and aspirations and the infrastructure it is forecast will be required to support growth, and how it is intended to be funded and delivered. Our Place Plans are ‘live’ documents updated on a rolling basis. The Infrastructure Delivery Plan will be informed by our Place Plans and wider evidence and engagement to support our next Local Plan.
d/ Green Belt Study: assessing the performance of Green Belt in Shropshire against nationally defined purposes and determining components that meet the definition of 'grey belt'. Land Use Consultants (LUC) have been commissioned to undertake this Study, which is expected to be completed and published in summer 2026.
e/ Community Hierarchy: assessing our communities’ characteristics to gain a greater understanding of their function and to group them based on their similarities. A draft Community Hierarchy has been prepared, and views on its methodology and conclusions are sought through this ‘scoping’ consultation.
f/ Site Identification and Assessment Methodology: detailing the proposed approach to the identification and assessment of sites, culminating in the initial identification and subsequent confirmation of proposed allocations. A draft Site Identification and Assessment Methodology has been prepared, and views on it are sought through this ‘scoping’ consultation.
Further Evidence
8.11 To ensure the evidence shaping and underpinning our next Local Plan is proportionate and robust we have identified additional evidence we intend to prepare during the plan-making process.
8.12 Further evidence we intend to prepare includes:
a/ Strategic Environmental Assessment: assessing environmental effects of proposals - undertaken alongside preparation of the next Shropshire Local Plan to inform and evaluate. The need for and value of this assessment was determined through ‘initial screening’, a summary of which is available on the council website via our Get Involved page.
b/ Habitat Regulations Assessment: evaluating potential impacts on protected European wildlife sites (Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and Ramsar sites).
c/ Equality, Social Inclusion and Health Impact Assessment: ensuring ‘due regard’ is being given to equality, equity, social inclusion and health and wellbeing within the next Local Plan. Supports us in meeting our general equality duty.
d/ Outputs of Monitoring Processes: engagement undertaken on housing, aggregates and employment land supply.
e/ Strategic Housing Market Assessment: analysing the size, type and tenure of market, affordable, and specialist housing needed to meet the needs of the different groups in our communities.
f/ Site Assessment Process: applying the finalised Site Identification and Assessment Methodology to identify proposed allocations for inclusion in the next Shropshire Local Plan.
g/ Strategic Flood Risk Assessment: assessing flood risk from all sources, current and future.
h/ Water Cycle Study: analysing impacts on water supply, wastewater collection and treatment and water quality.
i/ Viability & Market Absorption Study: assessing the viability of development and the ability of the market to absorb new development – thereby informing any local standards and policy requirements (including affordable housing contributions). This Viability Assessment will inform the parallel review of the CIL Charging Schedule, ensuring a ‘joined up’ approach.
Question 31
Is there any other evidence you feel we may need to inform our next Local Plan that would be relevant and proportionate? Please explain your answer.
Question 32
Please provide comments on other matters of relevance to the ‘scope’ of our next Local Plan.