THE St Helens Local Plan has been pushed back until late 2018.

The Local Plan will set out how much new development for housing and employment there should be in the borough up to 2033 and beyond and was previously shared with the public in 2016.

Council approval for the next version of the plan – known as the ‘Proposed Submission’ version – was originally due to be published early this summer.

However, a council report has now indicated that the Local Plan will not be published until autumn at the earliest.

“The Local Plan is progressing to its publication later in the year, most likely in autumn 2018,” the council’s latest budget and performance report says.

“The plan will be the basis of the future growth of the borough and as well as looking at where the town will grow, it will form the basis of investment and economic development on the ground.

“Changes to Government policy, particularly in relation to housing is currently the biggest risk in this regard.

“A revised National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Policy Guidance are due to be published before parliament recesses for the summer.”

A draft version of the Local Plan was previously shared with the public in December 2016.

The eight-week public consultation on the plan’s Preferred Options concluded on January 30, 2017.

The consultation received a total of 5,695 responses from the public and sparked a backlash after the council suggested releasing 1,187 hectares of land from the green belt.

The next version of the Local Plan will be the version of the plan that the council wants to see adopted, subject to approval by an independent planning inspector.

Depending on the outcome of the inspection, the council hopes to adopt the Local Plan in 2019.

“The Brownfield Register of land suitable for housing development was published at the end of last year and in addition to other sites in the urban area identified in the Strategic Housing land Availability Assessment, forms the focus for the delivery of housing at the present time” the report adds.

The May 2018 budget and performance report is due to go before cabinet on Wednesday.