Local Plan updates – October 2019

Ashford –The Ashford Local Plan 2030 was adopted in February 2019. 

Aylesbury Vale – AVDC has now provided the Inspector with provided with suggestions for Modifications to the Plan. Consultation on these was expected to take place in mid-September but has now been delayed. 

Basildon – Local Plan examination has been paused while Basildon Council and Essex County Council consider the effects of DEFRA’s direction on air quality for the A127 on deliverability of the plan. 

Bexley – Reg 18 consultation has now closed, and publication of the Draft Local Plan is planned for Autumn 2019.  

Braintree – see North Essex Authorities (below) 

Brentwood – Regulation 19 consultation closed on 19 March 2019 and the local plan is in the process of being finalised and submitted. 

Bromley – The Local Plan for Bromley was adopted on 16 January 2019. 

Broxbourne – The Council has published the Sustainability Appraisal of Main Modifications and anticipates that the public consultation on the main modifications will start in October. 

Cambridge and East Cambs – Following receipt of the Inspector’s modifications, East Cambridgeshire District Council voted to withdraw the emerging Local Plan at its February 2019 Council meeting. 

Castle Point – In November 2018 the Council resolved to not proceed with the Pre-Publication Local Plan and is now awaiting a decision from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with regards to the next steps. It is likely MHCLG will give directions to overturn the council’s decision and proceed with the draft local plan submission, similar to the path taken at Thanet and Wirral.  

Central Beds – Further additional evidence on the duty to co-operate, landscape, heritage and transport and an update to the Sustainability Appraisal was submitted by the Council on 28th January 2019 at Inspector’s request. Hearing Sessions closed on 25 July 2019.  

Chelmsford – Consultation on Main Modifications closed on Monday 19 September 2019. Adoption of the plan is likely to take place in Autumn 2019.  

Cherwell – It is intended that consultation on the proposed modifications will commence at the end of September/ beginning of October, with a view to formally submitting the modifications at the end of the year. Timeline for completion is uncertain as another Hearing may be required. 

Chiltern and South Bucks – The Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan 2036 was submitted for independent examination on 26 September 2019. 

Colchester – See North Essex Authorities (below).  

Dacorum – Latest LDS, which was approved on 25 June 2019, sets out the Council’s programme for preparing development plan documents up to 2022 when it’s hoped that the new Local Plan will be adopted. Publication of the proposed submission plan for representations (Reg 19) is expected to take place in May 2020.  

Dartford – Regulation 18 public consultation was held in June/ July 2018. Public involvement in the next stage in drafting the Local Plan is expected in late 2019. 

Dover – The council will be in the evidence gathering stage until December 2019. Consultation on draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) is expected to take place between January and March 2020.  

East Herts – East Herts’ District Plan was adopted at an Extraordinary Council on the 23 October 2018. 

Elmbridge – The options consultation closed on 30 September 2019. The Consultation responses will be reviewed and considered as the council prepares the more detailed draft plan. 

Epping Forest – Following the publication of Inspector’s interim findings, the council is preparing a timetable of further work and evidence required to address the plan’s soundness.  

Epsom and Ewell – Final Issues & Options Consultation (Regulation 18 Part 2) is planned for October – December 2019. 

Folkestone and Hythe – In accordance with the Inspector’s request following the Places and Policies Local Plan Examination held between 14 – 16 May 2019, the Council have published an update on their preferred site allocation for Gypsy & Traveller pitches. The Council has also published a number of documents for public consultation which will run for six weeks, until 5pm on Monday 14 October 2019.  

Gravesham – After reviewing responses received to Regulation 18 (Stage 1) Part 1 Site Allocations, the council is gathering further evidence and together with the consideration of responses received will prepare Regulation 18 Part 2 consultation documents which will be consulted upon in Autumn 2019. 

Guildford – Council decided to adopt the new Local Plan on 25 April 2019.  

Harlow – Hearing sessions finished on Thursday 4 April 2019 and Council is expecting Inspector’s final report in the coming months. Progress is expected to now be made on the town centre Area Action Plan. 

Havering – Following the hearings, the council is working on inspector’s requested actions and responses ahead of consultation on main modifications.  

Hertsmere – The council is undertaking targeted public and stakeholder engagement in preparing the plan (Reg 18). Issues and options consultation is expected in March 2020. 

London Plan – A panel of inspectors have been appointed to review the plan and examination hearings concluded in May 2019. The inspectors’ report is awaited. 

Maidstone – New Local Plan was formally adopted at Full Council on 25 October 2017. The Council is already preparing its review and its call for sites closed on Friday 24 May 2019. Consultation on a Scoping, Themes & Issues document (Reg.18) closed on Monday 30 September. 

Maldon – The Secretary of State Approved the Maldon District Local Development Plan on 21 July 2017. A review is to be completed by 2022. 

Medway – The council has updated the timetable of the preparation of the Local Plan. This revision programmes the publication of the draft Plan for late 2019; submission of the draft Plan in autumn 2020 with an examination following later that year; and adoption in 2021. 

Milton Keynes – Plan:MK, the local plan setting out how Milton Keynes will grow until 2031, was approved for adoption by full council in March 2019.  

Mole Valley – The Preferred Options consultation is now expected to take place between 21 October and 1 December 2019. Prior to the publication of the consultation, all Council Members will have the opportunity to agree the content of the draft Local Plan at an Extraordinary Council meeting on 15 October. 

North Essex Authorities (Braintree, Colchester and Tendring) – The authorities consulted on new evidence for Section 1 of the Local Plan between 19 August to 30 September to address Inspector’s concerns raised in his June 2018 letter. They are expected to submit further evidence to the Planning Inspector in October with a possibility of examination hearings reopening in December.  

North Hertfordshire – The Inspector is currently reviewing and considering the representations made in response to the recent consultation on draft Main Modifications. Given the large number of representations made, the Inspector has already decided that additional hearing sessions must now take place to further explore the issues of OAN, The Green Belt Review Update, The proposed ‘East of Luton’ sites, and others.  

Oxford City – The Inspectors have asked several initial questions to which the council has responded. The Inspectors have indicated informally that public hearing sessions will take place from 3rd December to 19th December 2019. 

Reigate and Banstead – The Reigate and Banstead Development Management Plan (DMP) was formally adopted by the Council on 26 September 2019. 

Rochford – Preferred Options Document public consultation (Regulation 18) is planned for October/November 2019. 

Runnymede – The Council submitted the Plan to the Secretary of State on 31st July 2018, and hearing sessions took place in November 2018 and February 2019. The Inspector has requested the Council to provide an update on progress of the ongoing work on highways matters that remains to be completed before the examination can be concluded. It is anticipated that the Stage 3 hearing concerning the implications of the Plan for the Strategic Road Network and the A320 will be held on Thursday 14 November 2019, and 15 November is being set aside as a reserve day in case of any overrun. 

Sevenoaks – The Sevenoaks District Council Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination on Tuesday 30 April 2019. The Local Plan hearing sessions are taking place between 24 September and 15 November 2019.  

Southend-on-Sea – Issues and Options consultation closed on 2 April 2019, with preferred approach consultation estimated for Spring / Summer 2020. There is potentially a new garden settlement to the north of Southend, also part of Rochford. 

South Essex Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) – this is a strategic statutory local plan prepared jointly by Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Rochford, Southend and Thurrock. Reg 18 consultation is expected in early 2019. 

South Northamptonshire – Hearings took place between Tuesday 11 June and Friday 21 June. The Inspectors Post Hearing Letter was published on 17 July and full report is expected in late 2019. 

South Oxfordshire –Following the local elections in May, the new administration is considering withdrawing the plan from examination but postponed making the final decision to let the officers to explore options for protecting the HIF funding whilst enabling the council to address concerns about the current emerging local plan. The final decision is to be taken at the full council meeting on 10 October.  

Spelthorne – The council is undertaking additional work in order to respond to the Heathrow Expansion proposals. As a result, they are now intending to hold the next public consultation on Preferred Options in October 2019. 

St Albans – Following submission of the Local Plan 2020-2036 in March 2019, Inspectors Louise Crosby MA MRTPI and Elaine Worthington BA (Hons) MTP MUED MRTPI have been appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out the independent Examination. Provisional hearing session dates have been set for w/c 20 January 2020 and w/c 3 February 2020. 

Stevenage – The Stevenage Borough Local Plan 2011-2031 was adopted on 22 May 2019. 

Surrey Heath – The Council is in the process of updating the timetable for the emerging Local Plan (Local Development Scheme). The next consultation on the emerging Local Plan will take place in winter 2020. 

Swale – The Council plans to hold Reg. 18 consultation in Oct – Dec 2019. 

Tandridge – Inspector Philip Lewis BA (Hons) MA MRTPI was appointed to examine the submitted local plan. The hearings are due to open at 9.30 am on Tuesday 8 October 2019.  

Tendring – See North Essex Authorities (above).  

Thanet – Hearings finished on 19th July 2019. The Inspectors’ letter is yet to be published.  

Three Rivers – Potential Sites Consultation ran between 26 October and 7 December 2018. Publication stage is planned for Autumn 2019. 

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 following the publication of the revised NPPF. The updated Local Development Scheme has not been published yet.  

Tonbridge and Malling – The Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council Local Plan was submitted for examination on Wednesday 23rd January 2019 and the Secretary of State has appointed Inspectors Simon Berkeley BA MA MRTPI and Luke Fleming BSc (Hons) MRTPI to carry out an independent examination of the Local Plan. Hearing sessions have not been scheduled yet.  

Tunbridge Wells – A report on the Draft Local Plan and Sustainability Appraisal was taken to Cabinet on 15th August 2019.  Cabinet supported the recommendation that consultation be undertaken on these documents. The consultation will run from 20th September – 1st November 2019, in line with relevant legislation. 

Uttlesford – The stage 1 hearings concluded on Thursday 18 July 2019. The Inspectors will now write to the Council with their initial findings and advice on the next steps in the examination. This letter is expected in October. 

Vale of White Horse – The Planning Inspector issued his final report on Local Plan 2031 Part 2 (LPP2) to the Council on 25 June 2019. The Inspector’s report concludes that the Plan is ‘Sound’. The adoption (of the LPP2) will be considered at a future meeting with Full Council. This is scheduled to take place on 9 October 2019. 

Watford – The Council is now consulting on the First Draft Watford Local Plan 2020-2036. The consultation ends on 8th November 2019.  

Waverley – POW Campaign Ltd and CPRE Surrey are attempting to overturn last year’s High Court decision to dismiss their challenges to the borough’s local plan. During the hearing, which took place at the Court of Appeal on Monday 24 June, the council’s legal representative explained that the High Court was correct in concluding that the Planning Inspector had not erred in law when allocating 50% of Woking’s unmet housing need to Waverley as part of its overall housing target. The Court also heard arguments from POW Campaign Ltd and CPRE Surrey and will make his decision in due course. 

Welwyn Hatfield – The council is conducting further work ahead of hearings which are to be resumed in November 2019. The Inspector has however, warned the council that if its timetable continues to slip, they should consider the option of withdrawing the plan with a view to re-submitting it for Examination when the work is finally completed and there are no obvious soundness issues accompanying it. 

Woking – The Council submitted the Site Allocations DPD and its supporting documents to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 31 July 2019. The Secretary of State has appointed an independent Inspector GJ Fort BA (Hons) PGDip LLM MCD MRTPI to conduct the examination.  The Inspector has indicated a provisional date for the Examination hearing sessions, which are in the weeks commencing 2 and 9 December 2019. 

Wycombe – The Full Council considered the Inspector’s Report and adopted the Plan at special meeting on 19 August 2019.