Residents, local businesses, and community groups across Rutland are being urged to make their voices heard before the fast-approaching deadline for the county's new local plan scoping consultation.
 

With the window closing at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, time is running out to shape the initial stages of planning policy that will govern development in England's smallest historic county for the next two decades.
 

While Rutland currently has a local plan covering 2021 to 2041 undergoing independent examination, sweeping changes to national planning policy introduced in December 2024 dramatically shifted the landscape. Under the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Rutland’s annual housing requirement more than doubled surging from 123 homes to 269 homes per year.
 

Because the previous plan was already at an advanced stage, the government permitted the council to continue its examination on the condition that work on a replacement plan addressing the higher target began almost immediately.

As this is a preliminary scoping consultation, no decisions are currently being made regarding specific planning policies or development sites. Instead, Rutland County Council is seeking public feedback on:

The primary planning issues and challenges facing the county.

Preferences on how communities and stakeholders should be engaged throughout the plan-making process.

Feedback on an reopened "call for sites," though planning officers are still assessing submissions and no sites have been recommended for inclusion yet.
 

The brand-new plan will cover the period 2026 to 2046 and is scheduled to be completed by April 2029 to meet strict government mandates requiring new plans to be drafted within 30 months.
 

How to Take Part Before the Deadline
 

Submissions can be completed online via the Rutland County Council website ahead of the 14 October 2026 deadline.
 

For residents without internet access, alternative arrangements are available:
 

By Phone: Call the council directly at 01572 722 577 for guidance and information.

In-Person: Paper copies of the consultation documents can be picked up at Catmose House offices in Oakham or at local libraries.
 

Following the close of this scoping phase, the council will publish a summary of public comments, paving the way for a second major consultation on the proposed content of the plan in April 2027.