Examination matters and documents

This page will contain information relating to the Examination in Public being carried out by the Planning Inspector into the soundness and legal compliance of Our Local Plan: 2033. We will update this page as and when information becomes available and will include detail on hearing sessions and matters being discussed.

• ID1 - Inspector Appointment Letter
• ID2 - Inspector's Initial Letter (March 2019)
• ID3 - Further Inspector Question (HRA vs Sweetman) (April 2019)
• TED01 - Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications (May 2019)
• TED02 - Response to Inspector Documents ID2 and 3
• ID4 - Inspector's guidance notes
• ID4 - (Version 3 minor clarifications/grammatical corrections only) – Inspector’s guidance notes
• ID5 - Matters, Questions and Issues (MIQ’s)
• ID5 - (Version 3 minor clarifications/grammatical corrections only) – Matters, Questions and Issues (MIQ’s)
• ID6 - Current Timetable V7 Publication Version (4 October 2019). These dates are subject to change at the discretion of the Planning Inspector. If there are any changes they will be published on this page.
• ID-6A Current Timetable V11 Re-Scheduled Week 2 21st November 2019 Publication Version (22 November 2019)

Inspector's note, 22 November 2019

On 7 November 2019 the Planning Inspectorate explained its approach to casework in the pre-election period.

For Local Plan work, all scheduled local plan examinations and hearing sessions will continue during the pre-election period. However, in order to avoid making announcements that could be politically sensitive, the Planning Inspectorate will not be issuing any letters regarding the soundness or legal compliance of local plans, or final reports (including for fact check), until after the election. Consequently, the Inspector will not be issuing any ruling regarding the potential implications for the examination of the Tandridge Local Plan, which may arise from the examination of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan, which has been requested by a representor. The Inspector has decided, after consultation with Tandridge District Council, that it would be pragmatic to proceed with the remaining scheduled hearings for the Tandridge Local Plan and these were held on Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 November as programmed.

The Inspector invited Tandridge District Council to comment on the potential implications for the examination of the Tandridge Local Plan, which may arise from the examination of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan, and this response can be found below.

Next steps

The timetable for receiving feedback from the Inspector is currently unknown. Verbal indications from the Planning Inspector overseeing the process in the closing part of the hearing sessions on 28 November 2019, indicated that the Council should expect to hear back from him in the “…first couple of months…” of 2020, but no fixed date was given. The Planning Inspector has since confirmed, via the Programme Officer, that he is continuing to prepare his post-hearing response to the Council and will issue this in due course. We will publish his response on the website when it is received.

The initial conclusions could take the form of either a letter or a report, however the Inspector has not specified which approach he will take. Regardless of the format, the initial conclusions will provide the Council with an indication as to whether the plan can be found sound and to what extent. It is anticipated that his response will include the Inspectors view on the inclusion of South Godstone Garden Community.

The Inspector is also likely to set out steps which the Council should take i.e. preparing modifications, undertaking consultation; and if there are any areas that require further work.  The Council will then need to engage with the Inspector on his recommendations and proposed modifications which he judges to be necessary to ensure the Plan is ‘Sound’. This engagement will be at his discretion and via the programme officer.

Inspector led clarification questions (July 2020)

Before the Inspector can finalise and issue his post-hearing feedback, the Council has been asked by the Inspector to respond to questions (ID14) and (ID15) relating to the publication by the Office for National Statistics of the 2018-based Household Projections and The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020.

These letters are for the Council to respond to, whilst working with a number of parties. We will update the website to provide further information when it is available. When the Inspector has received the responses, they will be published on the website accordingly.

Inspector led clarification questions (May 2020)

Before the Inspector can finalise and issue his post-hearing feedback, the Council has been asked by the Inspector to respond to questions (ID12) relating to the Garden Community. These questions are specifically for the Council to respond to and we will submit these to the Inspector in due course. The Council are currently determining a timetable for our response which needs to allows for us to engage with the relevant parties, such as Surrey County Council and Highways England. All information relating to this will be published on the website when it is available.

ID12 - Inspector clarification questions RE Housing Infrastructure Fund

Inspector led post hearing consultations (December 2019/January 2020)

The Inspector invited comment on some of the documents published during and after the hearing sessions. The consultations are detailed below.

Responses to Matters, Issues and Questions (MIQs)

Some Hearing Statements address more than one Matter. Where this is the case, they have been filed under the first Matter which they address.

If you have a visual impairment and would like an accessible version of any of the documents, please contact customer services.

TED13 - TDC Housing Committee Agenda 190919