Residents and stakeholders in North East Lincolnshire are being urged to give their views as a further round of consultation on North East Lincolnshire’s draft Preferred Options Local Plan (2025–2043) begins today (December 8 2025).
Following approval from Cabinet last month, the consultation will last for eight weeks, ending at 23:59 on February 1 2026. It will involve face-to-face drop-in events, engagement with consultees, groups, local residents and interested persons. Electronic and paper copies of the survey questions will be available to give everyone the opportunity to have their say.
This marks a key milestone in the statutory review of the Local Plan, which began two years ago and attracted responses from more than 1,100 individuals. These have been reviewed and will inform the next phase of the process and you can still have your say, or make new comments, on any and all aspects of the Local Plan.
The review had to be paused in 2024 to consider and incorporate Government changes that have increased the housing target for many local authorities, including North East Lincolnshire. As a result, the council is now undertaking this further round of consultation and updating evidence in relation to housing and employment need. Draft Plan changes relate to:
• Jobs growth and employment needs within the plan period
• The requirements for new homes and the distribution of these homes; and
• Specific site allocations for employment and residential uses.
The new housing target for North East Lincolnshire, based on the Government’s ‘standard method’ introduced in December 2024, is now 622 homes per year, totalling 11,196 homes over the plan period. Adoption of the revised plan is now expected in 2028 with its life extended until 2043.
All comments from the 2024 consultation will be considered equally alongside new submissions. Full responses from the earlier consultation are available on the “What People Said” tab. consultation portal.
NELC Portfolio Holder for Housing, Infrastructure and Transport, Cllr Stewart Swinburn, said:
“We want to encourage as many local people as possible to engage with this stage of the review of the Local Plan, which sets out a vision for the overall look and feel of North East Lincolnshire in the years ahead. If you live or work within this borough, then this local plan review affects you.
“We have taken all of your previous comments into consideration but feel free to comment further on any aspect of this Stage Three consultation. We need to hear from as many people as possible so we are giving people as many options as we can to make it easier for everyone to take part.”
Ways to take part
The Preferred Options document and supporting documents can be viewed online at www.nelincs.gov.uk/local-plan-review. Paper copies will be available to read at Cleethorpes Library, Immingham Library, Waltham Library, Grimsby Pop-Up Library and the Municipal Offices, Grimsby.
Face to face drop-in events, where officers will be available to answer questions and help people respond to the consultation, will take place here:
- Wednesday 17th December in Friargate Square, Freshney Place Shopping Centre, Grimsby, DN31 1ED, from 9am until 5.30pm.
- Thursday 8th January at Burton Hall, Civic Centre, Pelham Road, Immingham, DN40 1QF, from 5pm until 8pm.
- Saturday 17th January at Cleethorpes Library, Alexandra Road, Cleethorpes, DN34 8LG, from 9am until 1pm.
These events will give you a chance to look at the Council’s preferred housing and employment site options and to find out how to tell us your views.
Comments on the Preferred Options document can be submitted until 23:59 on Sunday 1 February 2026. You can comment on all parts of the Preferred Options document, or just the specific sections you are interested in.
To take part in this Stage Three consultation visit the Local Plan consultation portal at: https://nelincs-consult.objective.co.uk/kse/, or scan the following QR code:
You can also:
- Email: send your comments to [email protected]
- Post: write to Spatial Planning, North East Lincolnshire Council, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU.
If writing or emailing, please include the following details:
- Your name and contact details
- Organisation (if relevant)
- Your clients contact details if you are responding as an agent
- What you are commenting on (for example: section number, policy number, table number).
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