Local Plan Review Examination

The Council adopted the new Local Plan 2016-2036 Part One: Planning Strategy at a Council meeting on 6 July 2020 following the receipt of the the Inspectors' Report of the Examination on 25 March 2020. The report concludes that:

"The New Forest District (outside the National Park) Local Plan-Part 1: Planning Strategy (the Local Plan) provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the New Forest District Council planning authority area, provided that a number of main modifications are made to it."

Inspectors' report and policies map

The planning inspectors are Kevin Ward BA (Hons) MRTPI and Caroline Mulloy BSc (Hons) DipTP MRTPI. They were appointed to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the New Forest District (outside the National Park) Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning Strategy.

The inspectors are tasked with considering the soundness of the submitted Plan, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 182 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 (the Framework). The relevant soundness criteria are whether the Local Plan is:

positively prepared: based on a strategy that seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is reasonable to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development
justified: the most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence
effective: the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic priorities
consistent with national policy: the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the Framework).

The inspectors have taken into account representations on the Local Plan as far as they relate to soundness considerations. A number of hearing sessions took place in summer 2019 to discuss some of the matters. As a result of these discussions and the inspectors' consideration of the evidence before them, they concluded that some modifications to the plan were needed.

These modifications were consulted on in December 2019 and January 2020. In March 2020, the inspectors wrote to us with their report of the examination, which included a schedule of modifications required to make our plan 'sound'. You can download these report documents below.

Icon for pdf Inspectors' Report of the Examination [353.01KB]