Futures Forum: Local Plan: latest comment on 'minor to major' changes
Futures Forum: District Council's Local Plan: comment from the Inspector: that the proposed changes are in fact major...
there will have to be a further round of public consultations on the Local Plan...
As reported in the Herald today:
Council mistakes lead to new public session on Local Plan
Home - Sidmouth Herald
This was in fact flagged up earlier this month, with comparisons made with South Somerset:
Concerns raised over local plan
Thursday, August 01, 2013
CONCERNS have been expressed about the integrity of East Devon District Council's Local Plan.
A planning inspector last month raised concerns over parts of the proposed Local Plan for South Somerset District Council – which shares the same Chief Executive as East Devon. Following a Public Examination of the plan, the inspector initially suggested that the council either withdrew the plan and started the process again or proceeded with the plan in its current state with the likely outcome that it would be rejected. Following representations from the authority, the inspector subsequently confirmed the council could temporarily suspend it for six months while the concerns raised are addressed.
East Devon District Council officials have subsequently rubbished concerns that it faces a similar result as South Somerset because the authorities share Mark Williams as chief executive, branding such claims as a "fanciful non-sequitur".
East Devon's Local Plan, which outlines where around 15,000 homes as well as employment land could be built between 2006 and 2026, is due to go to Public Examination in November.
Ian Makintosh, chairman of the East Devon Alliance campaign group, said he has concerns about the robustness of the Local Plan and pointed to a planning inspectorate's recent finding – that the council cannot demonstrate it has enough land suitable for the demand for houses in the next five years. Local authorities are expected to demonstrate five years as part of the Government's National Planning Policy Framework. "What has happened at South Somerset throws into question the competence behind our Local Plan and we are concerned what happened there may happen in East Devon at public examination stage," he said. "As long as there is no Local Plan the land is at risk of developers."
Tony Green, member of campaign group Save Our Sidmouth (SOS), said members were also fearful that East Devon's Local Plan may fall short of an inspector's expectations.
Consultation
on Proposed Post-Publication Changes to the Local Plan
East Devon District Council invites you to make
representations on the Proposed Post- Publication Changes to the Local Plan.
The consultation will run for six weeks from Friday 23 August 2013 until 12
Noon on Monday 7 October.
The Council submitted its Local Plan and associated
documents/evidence for examination on 2 August 2013. The submission material
included a schedule of proposed changes to the Publication Draft of the Local
Plan which was approved by Full Council on 24 July 2013. However, on 15 August
2013 the Planning Inspector (Mr Anthony Thickett BA(Hons) BTP MRTPI Dip RSA
wrote to the Council indicating that it would be appropriate to consult on
these changes.
Representations should be made regarding the Proposed
Post-Publication Changes only, though you may wish to refer to background
evidence/reports produced to support the Local Plan. These are available in the
Local Plan Document Library which is available at www.eastdevon.gov.uk/lpsubmission. Please refer to the
change number your representation is in regards to. This can be found in the left-most
column of the table in the Schedule of Proposed Post-Publication Changes
available at http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/lpchanges
and at the Council Offices. A Representation Form is
also available at this address along with a Guidance Note for making
representations at this stage. This is the preferred method for making
representations, however any representations submitted during the consultation
period will be taken into account, reported back to Full Council and forwarded
to the inspector.
Representations should be emailed to localplan@eastdevon.gov.uk
or sent to Planning Policy, East Devon District Council, Knowle, Sidmouth,
EX10 8HL.
Yours faithfully,
Graeme Thompson
(Planning Policy Officer)
Here is today's comment from Sidmouth Independent News:
Make your new comments on the Local Plan
And when does consultation on the 53 major amendments to the Local Plan start? Today: the day before a long bank holiday and with no announcements in the press to tell people that it has started. It mentions that they will be writing to all those without email addressed and to statutory consultees. But when will those people receive their letters – perhaps more than a week into the new consultation period. Is this proper procedure one has to ask.
How many people know that the site is up and running and the clock has started ticking?
If you wish to make comments online go to
http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/lpchanges
and make sure you make as many comments as possible.
You have until 12 Noon on Monday 7 October 2013 to submit your comments
23 August 2013 – noon 7 October 2013
Mr Anthony Thickett has been appointed as the Independent Inspector and he has advised that he cannot undertake his examination of the document because there are 53 changes from an earlier version that he feels should be consulted on first. The new consultation will cover all the changes made since the previous consultation – not just the 53 mentioned by the Inspector. But it is only those changes to the earlier version of the plan that may be the subject of any new comments.
The changes made to the Local Plan that the Inspector insists should be consulted on are HERE.
Comments on these changes (and only these changes) can be made HERE
Representations should be emailed to localplan@eastdevon.gov.ukor sent to Planning Policy, East Devon District Council, Knowle, Sidmouth, EX10 8HL. Representations received after 12 Noon on 7 October 2013 may not be accepted.
Make your new comments on the Local Plan | Sidmouth Independent News.
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