Examination Overview

Horsham District Local Plan 2023 - 2040

The Horsham District Local Plan 2023 - 2040 was formally submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on Friday 26 July 2024.

The Secretary of State will shortly appoint an Inspector(s) to conduct an independent examination of the Local Plan.

Examination Timeline

Programme Officer

The role of the Programme Officer is to independently undertake the administration of the examination under the direction of the appointed Planning Inspector(s).  The Programme Officer will liaise between the Planning Inspector(s), Horsham District Council and the interested parties for the duration of the Local Plan examination.  All communications are handled by the Programme Officer.

The Programme Officer can be contacted as follows:

Kerry Trueman

Programme Officer Solutions Ltd

Email: programmeofficer@horsham.gov.uk

Phone: 07582 310364

Post: Pendragon House, 1 Bertram Drive, Meols, Wirral, CH47 0LG

Examination Process Overview

Following the submission of the Local Plan, together with the evidence base and documents required by legislation, including the Regulation 19 representations, the Planning Inspectorate aims to appoint an Inspector(s) within three weeks.

In the initial weeks after the Inspector's appointment they will make contact with the Programme Officer and start to undertake an initial assessment of the Plan and the organisation of the hearing sessions.  Once the Inspector(s) confirms the start date for the hearing sessions, the Council must advertise the opening of a hearing at least six weeks in advance.  The Programme Officer will publish the initial timetable for the hearing sessions, the matters and issues for discussion and the Inspector's Guidance Note.  The Programme Officer will also clarify and confirm participants attendance at the hearings.

In preparation for the hearing sessions the Inspector(s) will ensure that the programme for hearing sessions is updated as necessary and may prepare agendas for the sessions.  The Programme Officer will publish any updates to the programme as well as any agendas for the sessions.  The Inspector(s), Council and participants prepare for the hearing sessions, including reading any statements that have been submitted, two to  three weeks is usually allowed for this.

For Local Plans containing both strategic and non-strategic policies, the Inspector(s) may split the hearings into two or more blocks; the first dealing with legal compliance and strategic policies, including strategic sites.  The subsequent dealing with non-strategic policies, development management policies and other matters.

As part of the examination, the Council may ask the Inspector(s) to recommend main modifications to the Local Plan, where necessary, to make the Plan sound and legally compliant.  Most plans are subject to this request.  The wording of the proposed main modifications will be agreed between the Inspector(s) and the Council.  Whilst the Council has proposed a draft schedule of main modifications, which is published on the date of submission, this does not form part of the Submission Local Plan and is for consideration by the Inspector(s) alongside any further modifications put forward for discussion at the hearing sessions.

Once the wording for the main modifications is agreed, the Council may be required to undertake further work on the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations Assessment as well as public consultation for a minimum of six weeks on the proposed main modifications.  During this time the Inspector(s) progress work on the report, but it cannot be finalised until the Inspector(s) have considered the responses to the main modifications consultation.  Further hearing sessions are only held where essential in the interests of fairness and in order to clarify or resolve substantial new issues arising from the representations.

The Inspector's report is subject to an internal review process and the draft report is intialy sent to the Council for a fact-check review which is strictly limited to the matters of factual accuracy.  The Inspector(s) will deal with any factual matters raised by the Council and then their final report is sent to the Local Planning Authority for immediate publication.  This marks the end of the Local Plan examination, and enables the Council to move into formal adoption of the Plan.

For further information on the examination process including how to take part in examination, please see the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.