Gateway 1: what you need to do
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-27)

Draft information on what local planning authorities need to do to pass through Gateway 1 and start the 30-month plan preparation process.

We have published this guidance now so that LPAs can see the direction of travel for the new plan making system. We will review the guidance and make any necessary revisions and updates as the new system is implemented, and related regulations and policy are confirmed.

For plans under the legacy plan-making system

If you are submitting your plan under the legacy system, use the create or update a local plan legacy system guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/create-or-update-a-local-plan-using-the-legacy-system).

The legacy system covers plans to be adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, excluding the amendments made by the LURA, and The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

Gateway 1 is the first of 3 mandatory gateways that support you in adopting a plan within 30 months. It also helps increase the transparency of the preparation of your plan for your external stakeholders and communities. Gateway 1 involves self-assessing your readiness to start the 30-month plan preparation process (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/30-month-local-plan-process-an-overview) and publishing a summary of this self-assessment.

The 30-month plan preparation process starts on the date you pass through Gateway 1. Read more about the 30-month plan preparation process (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/30-month-local-plan-process-an-overview)

The Planning Inspectorate does not carry out any assessment or provide observations or advice at Gateway 1. However, the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) offers optional support with getting ready for Gateway 1 (https://www.local.gov.uk/pas/plans/new-plan-making-system-what-we-know-so-far/planning-plan-new-plan-making-system).

Getting ready for Gateway 1 and the 30-month process

Before you write and publish your Gateway 1 self-assessment summary, you need to get ready. This means making progress in these 5 areas set out in regulations:

preparing and publishing a local plan timetable

establishing project management and governance arrangements about the preparation of the plan

your approach to consulting and engaging on the plan

anticipated content of the plan

progressing the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

We’ve set out the recommended progress you should have made in each area before Gateway 1. You can find these recommendations in our guidance on getting ready to prepare a new plan (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/getting-ready-to-prepare-a-new-plan).

You’ll also find a readiness checker, which you should use to check your progress towards the recommendations.

Deciding when to pass through Gateway 1

Before you pass through Gateway 1, you must give at least 4 months’ notice of your plan-making and carry out your scoping consultation.

Once you’ve given notice and undertaken your scoping consultation, you should aim to pass through Gateway 1 only when you’re satisfied that you will be able to adopt a plan within 30 months. Use the recommended progress for each area and the readiness checker to help you make this assessment.

Read our guidance on the new system rollout arrangements (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rollout-of-the-new-local-plan-making-system) to see when you need to pass through Gateway 1 for your first new-style plan.

You must pass through Gateway 1:

no later than 5 years after adopting your existing plan

at least 4 months after you gave notice of your plan-making, or the day after your scoping consultation ends, whichever comes later

Getting ready early and periodically checking your progress should help you to be ready and stay on time.

How to pass through Gateway 1

To pass through Gateway 1, you must publish a summary of your self-assessment, including what you’ve done to get ready, following a set template (#use-the-gateway-1-self-assessment-summary-template-and-example).

Writing your self-assessment summary

Your self-assessment summary must set out details relating to each of the 5 areas set out in regulations. You should describe the progress you’ve made in each area, being specific to your local area, where possible.

Alongside publication of the self-assessment summary, you should:

link to further reading or documentation on your website

provide an option for people to sign up for updates on preparing your plan

This will help to support your assessment and avoid duplication.

Use the Gateway 1 self-assessment summary template and example

You should write your self-assessment summary using the Gateway 1 self-assessment summary template. Read an example Gateway 1 self-assessment summary: template and example (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692dc73f9c1eda2cdf0343b3/Gateway_1_self-assessment_summary_template_and_example.odt) (ODT, 27.7 KB) to guide how you write your own.

These will help you to publish a self-assessment summary that meets legal requirements and is accessible for your external stakeholders and communities.

Download the Gateway 1 self-assessment summary: template and example (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692dc73f9c1eda2cdf0343b3/Gateway_1_self-assessment_summary_template_and_example.odt) (ODT, 27.7 KB).

The template gives you:

a recommended page title and introduction for your self-assessment summary

5 main sections for you to summarise your progress in, which align with the 5 areas set out in regulations

some recommended headings and introductions for each section

an optional extra section to summarise anything else you’ve done to get ready, if you think it’s relevant or helpful for your external stakeholders and communities

The template uses basic content formats like headings, paragraphs and links.

The example shows the type of information you should include in your self-assessment summary, as well as the style and amount of detail you should go into.

It also shows how you could describe any gaps in your progress, if you need to. The example is based on an local planning authority (LPA) that has made the recommended progress, except in resourcing and agreeing an engagement strategy.

Use the readiness checker to help you write your self-assessment summary

The readiness checker for gateway 1 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692b574ba245b0985f0342f9/Readiness_checker_for_gateway_1.xlsx) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 26.9 KB) has red, amber or green statements that describe different levels of progress for each area. You can use these to help you write your self-assessment summary.

If the checker shows you have some issues, you should summarise your strategy for addressing these. Read about how you can do this in the getting ready to prepare a new plan (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/getting-ready-to-prepare-a-new-plan) guidance.

Be concise and clear

Aim to write in plain English and keep your summaries brief - somewhere between 150 and 250 words per section is what we recommend. Use words your external stakeholders and communities will understand more easily, and only include information that will be most important or helpful to them.

This will help more people in your communities to access and understand your summary.

Include links to further reading or documentation

We recommend that you support your self-assessment summary with links to information elsewhere on your website. For example, your timetable webpage, early engagement outputs, or any local plan strategy documentation you’ve made public at this stage.

This will help your communities to easily find more information. It will also help you to be concise in your summaries and avoid repeating information available elsewhere.

Making your self-assessment summary available publicly

You must make your self-assessment summary available, including publishing it in HTML on your website. You may also add a downloadable file such as a PDF or image, if you wish. You should make sure your self-assessment summary is easy to find. For example, the webpage should:

be in the same part of your website as other information about your local plan

be linked to from related content and navigation menus

You should refer to the guidance on making plan-making documentation available.

After publishing your self-assessment summary

Once you’ve published your self-assessment summary, you’ve passed through Gateway 1. This marks the start of your 30-month plan preparation process.

Review your local plan timetable

You must check your local plan timetable reflects the date you published in your summary.

Do not update your self-assessment summary

You should not update your Gateway 1 self-assessment summary as you prepare your plan. It acts as a record of what you did to get ready for the 30-month plan preparation process.

Share your progress with MHCLG

We recommend that you share the final version of your readiness tracker with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). This will help us understand your progress and identify if any further support is needed.

Before you share your final version of the readiness checker, you should:

remove any additional columns you have added to help you get ready

restore the notes column to the original header, if you have changed this