Local Plan updates – October 2018

Aylesbury Vale – Examination in Public has now ended, Inspector’s Report is expected in Autumn 2018 and adoption is planned for January 2019.

Basildon – The revised Publication Local Plan is expected to be adopted by the full Council on 18 October 2019, with the six-week Reg. 19 consultation starting soon after. Basildon is on the SoS’s ‘naughty list’ and MHCLG chief planner was dispatched to the council earlier this month to ‘discuss’ the final stages of the local plan process – Basildon is likely to be abiding by the current timetable.

Brentwood – Council is set to discuss Reg. 19 around the end of October, which should be followed by the six-week consultation. Submission to the Secretary of State is planned for December/January with examination in late Spring 2019.

Cambridge and East Cambs – The Council submitted the Local Plan to the Secretary of State in February 2018. The examination is scheduled to finish on 9 October 2018.

Castle Point – Regulation 18 Consultation run between 4 July and 15 August 2018. Regulation 19 consultation is planned for January 2019 and submission to Secretary of State in April 2019. Another council on the SoS ‘naughty list’ so is likely to be adhering to the timetable.

Central Beds – Planning Inspector Mike Hayden wrote to the Council in June regarding the Habitats Regulation Assessment and screening of the proposals in the Plan. Central Beds are required to undertake further work on the Habitats Regulation Assessment before progressing.

Chelmsford – The Secretary of State has appointed Yvonne Wright as the inspector. The dates for the hearing sessions have not been confirmed yet.

Chiltern and South Bucks – The Councils are reviewing local transport modelling and their duty to cooperate engagements with neighbouring authorities. Following these, the Councils will review their Local Development Scheme.

Dacorum – A pre-submission Draft Plan is expected in late Summer 2019 while the Council continues to gather and evaluate evidence.

East Herts – East Herts’ District Plan has been put on hold by Secretary of State who announced that he needs more time to decide whether to intervene. This came as a shock as the ‘halt’ notice came a matter of hours before the council was due to adopt the plan.

Epping – The Local Plan has been submitted for approval to the Planning Inspectorate by Epping Forest District Council. The news was announced at a council meeting on September 25 and follows the end of a legal challenge by CK Properties Ltd.

Epsom and Ewell – Preparation of the Epsom & Ewell Duty to Co-operate Engagement Plan is scheduled for September-October 2018, with Pre-Submission Public Consultation not due until late 2019.

Guildford – Currently holding a public consultation on the Planning Inspector’s main modifications to its Local Plan, which will end 23^rd October 2018. The Inspector will then review the comments before completing his examination and final recommendations.

Harlow – Approved at Full Council on 20th September and to be submitted for inspection. This despite only receiving 72 responses to the reg 19 consultation. The council is in some turmoil following the resignation of two Labour councillors in the last week, and two others to stand down next May. By-elections are set to take place in November although the balance of power is not expected to change.

Havering – The Havering Local Plan (2016-31) and supporting documents were submitted to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for independent examination on 27 March 2018. Hearings will take place between the 9th and 19th of October 2018.

Hertsmere – Consultation on the Issues and Options document closed on 30 November 2017 and Consultation on a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Issues and Options document ran from 21 March 2018 until Thursday 3 May 2018. The next stage will be a ‘potential housing and employment locations’ engagement phase’, which will take place between late October and early December with a number of exhibitions.

Medway – Reg. 18 Development Strategy consultation ran until 25th June 2018. The Reg. 19 consultation is expected in Winter 2018.

Milton Keynes – The Council has now submitted the Proposed Submission version of Plan:MK to the Planning Inspectorate for an independent examination. Hearing Sessions commenced on 10th July 2018 and final session took place on 30 August 2018.

Mole Valley – Reg. 18 Preferred Options consultation to take place in early 2019 (delayed by May 2018 local elections).

North Herts – The local plan was submitted to Government on 9 June 2017. First lot of hearing sessions finished March 2018 and the council then prepared its main modifications – these are now with the inspector for consideration. They expect to hear back from the inspector in a few weeks and then consult on the main modifications, with adoption anticipated in 2019.

Reigate and Banstead – Following submission of the draft Development Management Plan on 18th May 2018, an independent Planning Inspector has been appointed and examination hearings are scheduled to start on 30th October 2018.

Sevenoaks – The Draft Local Plan consultation ended on 10th September 2018 and the Planning Policy Team is now considering comments. The draft Local Plan will then be considered by councillors in November and December, with the aim of publishing the final version by the end of 2018. This version will be submitted to the Government’s Planning Inspector in Spring 2019.

South Cambs – On 27 September 2018, the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan was adopted and the Adopted Policies Map was agreed for publication.

South Northamptonshire – Local Plan Part 2 Reg. 19 consultation was passed by committee on 19^th September and is due to start sometime in October, with submission by the end of January 2019.

St Albans – Reg. 19 consultation is due to end on 17th October 2018. All valid representations will then be considered by the Council and submitted for independent public examination.

Stevenage – Still awaiting the secretary of state’s permission to move forward with its local plan following last November’s holding direction, after concerns were raised by Stevenage Tory MP Stephen McPartland, including over proposals to regenerate Stevenage’s train station and town centre.

Surrey Heath – The Draft Surrey Heath Local Plan Issues and Options/Preferred Options Consultation finished on Monday 30th July, and the Pre-submission Consultation is scheduled for June 2019.

Tandridge – The Draft Local Plan Consultation (Reg. 19) finished on Monday 10th September. The Council is now analysing the feedback, which will be presented to the Planning Policy Committee in late 2018.

Thurrock – Reg. 18 (Issues and Options Stage 2: Spatial Options and Sites) took place in July 2018. Reg. 19 was planned for September 2019, but has been delayed after the Local Plan Issues and Options Stage 2 agenda item was withdrawn from July 25th’s Full Council meeting following the publication of the revised NPPF. The intention is to go to Council again in October.

Tonbridge and Malling – The Reg. 19 consultation is set to run from the start of October until mid-November. The council aims to submit its local plan to the secretary of state by the end of 2018.

Tunbridge Wells – Preferred Options Reg. 18 consultation is completed. Consultation on a Pre-Submission Local Plan (Reg. 19) will take place from September 2019 to October 2019.

Uttlesford – Regulation 19 Pre-submission consultation ended on 13^th August 2018 and the council is now logging representations. There will be a further six-week consultation from around mid-October focused on the implications of the Inspector’s report on the North Essex garden community plans examination (joint plans with other councils). Aim is to submit the Uttlesford Local Plan before 24^th January 2019.

Waverley – Part 1: Adopted in February 2018 but facing a High Court challenge, with arguments to be heard in court on October 9th and 10th. Part 2: Consultation on preferred options and draft policies (Regulation 18) finished on 9th July 2018. Reg. 19 is expected to start in November/December 2018.

Welwyn Hatfield – Local Plan was submitted for examination on 15 May 2017. The hearings are scheduled to finish on 10 December 2018.

Wycombe – Submitted for public examination in March 2018 – the final scheduled hearing session took place on September 26th and the inspector did not indicate that she wished to hold any further hearings at this time. She indicated that her final report will be in the first quarter of 2019.