The Secretary of State for Communities, James Brokenshire, has issued directions to two local authorities, Wirral and Thanet Councils, on preparations for their Local Plans.

In both cases the minister said the requirements of s.27(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 had been met for intervention in view of the councils’ failure to get a Local Plan in place.

The two local authorities are now required (within ten weeks of the letter for Wirral and four weeks for Thanet) to designate a lead councillor and lead official to be responsible for progressing preparation of the Local Plan.

In addition, Wirral has also been directed to publish an action plan, which must be verified by independent planning experts, and report monthly to the Ministry on progress whilst Thanet has also been directed, within eight weeks of the date of the letter, to amend its Local Development Scheme (dated July 2018) to provide for the completion of a review of their Local Plan within six months of its adoption.