The Castle Point Plan

Check your Christmas and New Year recycling dates and find more useful info on our Christmas Closures information page.

Castle Point Plan Progress Reports

Last Updated 20 November 2024

24 October 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board met and considered the approach to infrastructure and transport policies.  Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 24 Oct 2024 [pdf] 182KB

16 October 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board met and considered early consultation feedback, the approach to housing type and mix policies and the South Benfleet Conservation Area consultation outcomes. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 16 Oct 2024 [pdf] 154KB

10 October 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the spatial strategy and approach to town centre policies.  Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 10 Oct 2024 [pdf] 181KB

11 September 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered early consultation feedback and the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved — CP Plan Board Notes 11 Sep 2024 [pdf] 194KB

22 July — 16 September 2024: Consultation on the Castle Point Plan Issues and Options and supporting documents was undertaken. 

19 July 2024: The following documents were published on the General Evidence Documents page:

18 July 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the online consultation platform and the Issues and Options Summary Document. They also discussed the next steps after the consultation. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 18 July 2024 [pdf] 109KB

17 July 2024: At a Special Council meeting the Council formally agreed to commence a public consultation on the Issues and Options Consultation Document July 2024[pdf] 14MB and associated documents found below:

This will be a formal regulation 18 consultation and marks an important step in the Castle Point Plan preparation. The consultation is proposed to run from 22 July until 16 September 2024. Details on the Special Council meeting can be found here.    

10 July 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the Engagement Plan and materials proposed for public consultation on the Issues and Options Document and associated documents. 

3 July 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board formally recommended the Council to commence a consultation on the content of the Issues and Options Consultation Document with, minor changes, and associated documents such as the Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment Scoping Report, Equalities Impact Assessment Scoping Report. Additionally, the Board considered a number of heritage documents associated with the South Benfleet Conservation Area and local list of heritage sites. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 3 July 2024 [pdf] 111KB

20 June 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board were presented with the content of the drafts Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report, Habitats Regulations Assessment Scoping Report, Equality Impact Assessment Scoping Report, South Benfleet Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan and the South Benfleet Conservation Area Design Code. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 20 June 2024 [pdf] 119KB

5 June 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board discussed the content of the draft Issues and Options Consultation Document and proposed changes to the document to make the consultation more accessible to the public. The Board also considered the Engagement and Communications Plan for the consultation. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 5 June 2024 [pdf] 144KB

23 May 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the initial draft of the Castle Point Plan Issues and Options Document which sets out the choices that residents and other stakeholders will be presented with. The Board were requested to review and feedback on the initial draft at their meeting in June.

16 May 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the initial outcomes of the Economic Development Sites Review and the initial outcomes of the Phase 1 Transport Assessment. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 16 May 2024 [pdf] 116KB

7 April 2024: The Design Code Community Consultation closed. 195 people participated.

3 April 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board agreed to the publication of the  Addendum to Initial Engagement Outcome March 2024 [pdf] 2MB Report which sets out details of engagement work that has been undertaken since the Initial Engagement Report was approved and published in the Autumn of 2023. The Board also received an update on the additional work undertaken to explore urban capacity within the borough and details of the additional urban capacity that is likely to exist. The Urban Capacity work will be reported as part of the Issues and Options Report engagement. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 3 April 2024 [pdf] 108KB

15 March 2024: The Design Code Community Consultation commenced. The consultation was open until the 7 April 2024

14 March 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board reviewed the schedule of urban sites arising from the Call for Sites and an internal review of other sources of urban capacity. This work will be reported as part of the Issues and Options Report engagement.

6 March 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the outcomes of an internal audit around the programme for the Castle Point Plan. They also considered the initial outcomes of the initial Call for Sites for the Castle Point Plan and sought for officers to carry out additional work to ensure no potential sites were missed. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 6 March 2024 [pdf] 123KB

15 February 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board was given a briefing on Design Coding and participated in a workshop to help inform the design code.

7 February 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board were given updates on the progress of the Transport Evidence and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, as well as an update to the Call for Sites and the Issues and Options structure. Notes of this meeting have been prepared and approved -  CP Plan Board Notes 7 February 2024 [pdf] 69KB. The approved specifications for the Transport Evidence and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment can be found below: 

31 January 2024: An updated  Local Development Scheme January 2024 [pdf] 265KB was agreed by Special Council. 

25 January 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board discussed Net Zero opportunities in a workshop. The outcomes of this workshop have been prepared and approved -  CP Plan Workshop Outcomes - Net Zero 25 January 2024 [pdf] 94KB

18 January 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board discussed Biodiversity Net Gain and Urban Greening in a workshop. The outcomes of this workshop have been prepared and approved - CP Plan Workshop Outcomes - BNG and Urban Greening 18 January 2024 [pdf] 113KB

17 January 2024: A report went to Cabinet on the letter of possible intervention recieved from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP on 19 December 2023

12 January 2024: A letter was sent to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP in response to the letter received on 19 December 2023 -  Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP [pdf] 323KB

3 January 2024: The Castle Point Plan Board agreed the programme of work and meetings until May 2024 and discussed letter received from the Minister about local plan preparation. Notes of this meeting and the programme of work were prepared and approved - CP Plan Board Notes 3 January 2024 and Board Programme Jan-May 2024 [pdf] 134KB

6 December 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board considered the progress of the board over the last year and reviewed the programme from January to May 2024. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved -  CP Plan Board Notes 6 December 2023 [pdf] 164KB

20 December 2023:  Initial Engagement Outcomes Report 2023 [pdf] 4MB was published. 

19 December 2023: A letter was received from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP in regards to possible intervention -  Letter from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP [pdf] 148KB

24 November 2023: Nominations closed for the Local List of Heritage Assets. 44 people made nominations.

1 November 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board considered a range of matters including the first outputs of the urban capacity study and the approach to be taken to engaging with landowners. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved —  CP Plan Board Notes 1 November 2023 [pdf] 92KB

4 October 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board considered a report on the outcomes of the engagement. Some additional analysis was sought by the board as a consequence of this presentation. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved -  CP Plan Board Notes 4 October 2023.[pdf] 72KB

17 September 2023: The Open Space Assessment Survey closed. 578 responses were received to the survey.

5 September 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board received a presentation on the outcomes of the Housing Needs Assessment. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 5 September 2023.[pdf] 113KB

31 August 2023: The online residents engagement closed. 1,489 responses were received.

30 July 2023: The Open Space Assessment Survey commenced. The survey was open until the 17 September 2023.

5 July 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the approach to be taken to the assessment of flood risk in Castle Point. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 5 July 2023[pdf] 114KB

8 June 2023: Community Engagement Workshops commenced. Ten events took place between the 8 June and the 17 July 2023.

7 June 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider an engagement update. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 7 June 2023[pdf] 94KB

26 May 2023: Nominations opened for the Local List of Heritage Assets. Nominations were accepted until the 24 November 2023.

18 May 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met and considered the methodology and engagement for the Local List of Heritage Assets Review Methodology [pdf] 291KB . The methodology and approach to engagement was approved. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 18 May 2023[pdf] 142KB

12 May 2023: Nominations closed for the Local Wildlife Site Review. 18 people made nominations for additional sites.

11 April 2023: Nominations commenced for the Local Wildlife Site Review. Nominations were accepted until the 12 May 2023.

20 March 2023: Online residents engagement commenced. This engagement ran until the 31 August 2023.

1 March 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the approach to the housing needs assessment – Housing Needs Assessment Specification [pdf] 121KB . The specification was approved. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 1 March 2023[pdf] 134KB

1 February 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the specifications for the Local Wildlife Site Assessment Specification [pdf] 108KB and the Open Space Assessment Specification [pdf] 215KB . The specifications were approved. Notes of the meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 1 February 2023[pdf] 94KB

24 January 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the questions to be posed as part of the initial engagement for the Castle Point Plan. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Workshop Outcomes 24 January 2023 [pdf] 150KB

4 January 2023: The Castle Point Plan Board met to consider the approach to the urban capacity assessment – Urban Capacity Assessment Specification. Subject to amendments the approach was approved. Notes of this meeting were prepared and approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 4 January 2023[pdf] 79KB

14 December 2022: The Castle Point Plan Board comprising of 3 Members from each of the three political parties met for the first time. The Members of the board are: Councillors Gibson (Chairman), Blackwell, Cole, Fuller, Hart, Issacs, Mountford, S. Mumford and Palmer. The first meeting addressed matters of procedure for the board and an Engagement Strategy. Notes of this meeting were prepared and have been approved –  CP Plan Board Notes 14 December 2022[pdf] 117KB

30 November 2022: The Local Development Scheme and Resource Plan for the preparation of the Castle Point were approved by Council – Council Agenda 30 November 2022. View the programme for the Castle Point Plan.