Inspector's Report (main report November 2005)
The Local Plan Inquiry Inspector's Report was officially published by the Borough Council on 16 November 2005, following the Local Plan Inquiry, which took place between January and June of this year. The purpose of the Inquiry was for an independent Inspector to consider all of the unresolved objections to the Local Plan Review. A copy of the Borough Council's Press Release sets out some of the key issues, and can be viewed by downloading the word document at the bottom of this screen.
Where can copies be viewed?
Copies of the Local Plan Inquiry Inspector's Report are available to view on-line in a PDF format, using the downloads below. Alternatively, hard copies can be purchased from the Borough Council at a cost of £40 + £5 postage and packaging. To obtain a hard copy please send in a cheque made payable to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, marked for the attention of the Forward Planning and Transport Team at the Civic Offices. In addition, hard copies of the report can be viewed at Parklands Reception of the Civic Offices or in libraries across the Borough.
What does the report cover and what does it mean?
The Inspector's Report sets out a formal response to each of the objections received by the Borough Council to the Local Plan Review. On receipt of the Report, officers will consider all of the recommendations made and will make recommendations to Borough Councillors as to whether the recommendations should be accepted and how the Local Plan should be amended. The Government advises Councils to accept recommendations in most cases. However, the Inspector's Report is not 'binding' on the Borough Council and there is no obligation to accept all of the recommendations. However, where the authority chooses not to accept a recommendation, strong justification will be required.
How is the report set out?
The Inspector's Report is set out by chapter of the Plan and includes the Inspector's covering letter. Chapters are set out in plan order, by policy and paragraph number and includes a note of objector name and number for each part of the plan that is addressed. Objectors details for the more contentious issues in the plan which resulted in a large number of objections, such as Policy D2, are set out in a separate annex, in order to make the written text of the Inspector's Report more concise. To view the annexes, please click here or use the option listed to the left.
Sites put forward by objectors for inclusion in the Local Plan Review have been detailed in a seperate chapter of the Inspector's Report. This is Chapter 8 Maps and Omission Sites, where sites are listed by Inset Map number, as they appear in the Plan.
What are the next stages?
The timetable for next stages of the Local Plan Review was considered by Cabinet at the meeting on 25 October, where the following timescales were agreed:
Officers will prepare:
1) Schedule of the Inspector's Recommendations;
2) Schedule of Proposed Modifications to the Plan (based on the Inspector's Recommendations); and
3) Schedules of Inspector's Recommendations not accepted, with reasons why these are not considered to be appropriate.
These schedules will be reported to a Special Sustainable Communities Overview meeting open to all Borough Councillors on 9 January 2006, before being considered by Cabinet on 31 January 2006 and Full Council on 16 February 2006. Copies of the relevant reports and agenda can be viewed by clicking on the relevant meeting above. (Please note that reports are only placed on the Borough Council website 4 to 5 days in advance of the meeting).
Any Proposed Modifications to the Local Plan resulting from the Inspector's Report will be published for a six week period of public consultation between February and early April. During this period views will be sought only on the Proposed Modifications being made to the plan.
Following this, it is proposed to seek to adopt the Local Plan for the Borough during June 2006.
Should you have any queries about the Inspector's Report, please contact a member of the Forward Planning Team on (01256) 845796 or 845532.
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