Local Plan History
In 2013, Mid Devon District Council began reviewing the previous Local Plan, which included the Core Strategy, the Allocations and Infrastructure Development Plan Document and Development Management Policies.
The Local Plan Review was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 31 March 2017 for examination. The documents submitted by the Council for examination. For more information on the examination process please see the Local Plan Review Examination page.
The Local Plan Review was adopted on 29 July 2020. You can view the adoption statement. The Local Plan Review replaces the Core Strategy, AIDPD and Development Management policies that made up the previous Local Plan and are no longer in force. The final published version of the new Local Plan together with adopted policies maps can be viewed on the Adopted Local Plan page.
The Local Plan Review will guide development in the district over a 20 year period and aims to ensure that new homes, jobs and services needed by communities are located in the most sustainable places. It will also help deliver the infrastructure, facilities and other developments needed to make this possible.
A timeline of the key stages between submission of the plan in March 2017 and adoption in July 2020 is set out below.
For details on the consultation stages prior the submission of the plan please see the Local Plan Review Consultation History pages
Local Plan Review Timeline (Submission to Adoption)
29 July 2020
The Mid Devon Local Plan Review has been adopted at an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council held on 29th July, see Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 to 2033 Adoption Statement. The full press release.
26 June 2020
We received the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013-2033 from the Planning Inspectorate today.
The Inspector has concluded that the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033 provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the District, provided that a number of main modifications (MMs), are made to it to make the Plan sound and capable of adoption. With the inclusion of the Inspector’s recommended MMs, the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033 satisfies the requirements of Section 20(5) of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) and meets the criteria for soundness in the Framework.
The Inspector’s Report sets out where 55 MMs are needed to the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013-2033. The MMs all concern matters that were discussed at the examination hearings and which were subject to public consultation over a six-week period, together with the updated Sustainability Appraisal (SA), Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA), and the Equalities Impact Assessment. In some cases, where these relate to the provisions for Gypsies and Travellers, and Junction 27 of the M5, the Inspector has amended the detailed wording of the MM and/or added consequential modifications where necessary.
We'll consider the Inspector's report and adoption of the Plan and SA (with the Strategic Environmental Assessment), at a meeting to be held in the near future. We'll provide further information as soon as it becomes available.
May 2020
We received the following communication from the Planning Inspectorate on Wednesday 20th May:
“We have been informed by the Inspector that progress on his report has been slowed by caring commitments during the current ‘lockdown’. While he is working to complete the report as soon as possible, it is unlikely to be available to the Council for fact checking until late June/early July. Of course, if it is possible to make the report available sooner, then the Inspector will do so.”
February 2020
Proposed Main Modifications Consultation
We received 75 consultation responses on the Proposed Main Modifications to the Plan which were sent to the Inspector on 28 February 2020 for his consideration.
January 2020
Proposed Main Modifications Consultation
Consultation is being held 6 January – 17 February (5pm) 2020 on Proposed Main Modifications to the Plan, following the Planning Inspectors Post-Hearings advice note published in May 2019 together with associated documents the Sustainability Appraisal Addendum, Habitat Regulations Assessment Addendum and an Addendum to the Equalities Impact Assessment. A Schedule of Additional Modifications, which are ‘minor’ and include clarifications, corrections and factual updates has also been prepared which will be consulted on at the same time. For more information please see the Main Modifications page.
September 2019
Response to Inspector’s Post Hearings advice note
The Council has sent to the Inspector its response to comments made by hearing participants to its draft Housing Land Supply Update (June 2019) and a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) implications report. These were prepared in response to the Inspector’s Post-Hearings advice note .
The Inspector is considering the Council’s documents and the comments received on these before deciding how to progress the examination.
For more information and links to these documents, please see the Local Plan Review Examination page.
May 2019
Local Plan Review Examination Update
The Council has received the Inspector’s Post-Hearings advice note. For more information please see the Local Plan Review Examination page.
April 2019
Local Plan Review Examination Update
The Inspector has advised that he expects to be able to contact the Council by the end of April about the next steps for the examination. For more information please see the Local Plan Review Examination page.
February 2019:
Local Plan Review Examination Main Hearings
Main hearings concluded on 20 February 2019. The Inspector will confirm the next steps for the examination process in due course. For the latest updates, please see the Local Plan Review Examination page.
December 2018:
Local Plan Review Examination Main Hearings
Following preliminary hearings in September 2018, the Inspector has confirmed that Main Hearings will take place between the 14th and 20th February 2019. Further information on the Examination Hearings can be found on the Local Plan Review Examination page.
November 2018:
CIL Viability Evidence Update
The council has published additional viability evidence.
October 2018:
Inspector’s letter following the Preliminary Hearings
Following preliminary hearings in September 2018, the Council received a letter from the Inspector setting out his preliminary conclusions and advising on the next steps for the examination process. For more information, please see the Examination Hearings section of the Local Plan Review Examination webpage.
September 2018:
Local Plan Review Examination Preliminary Hearings
Preliminary hearings into Policy J27 Land at Junction 27 and associated policies SP2 Higher Town, Sampford Peverell and TIV16 Blundells School, took place on 20th and 21st September 2018.
Further information on the Examination Hearings, associated documents and contact details for the Programme Officer can be found on the Local Plan Review Examination page.
August 2018:
Cullompton Eastern Relief Road and Potential Strategic Motorway Improvement
Work on a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) to consider the construction of a relief road and motorway junction system to the east of Cullompton town centre has now been completed.
May 2018:
A revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) was approved by Cabinet on 10th May 2018.
The new LDS sets in place an updated timescale for the review of the Core Strategy and the Allocations and Infrastructure Development Plan Document (AIDPD), to form one overall Local Plan.
April 2018:
Independent Review of Sustainability Appraisal Update 2017 submitted to Inspector
An independent assessment of the Local Plan's Sustainability Appraisal (SA) was completed in January 2018 and considered the Sustainability Appraisal to be proportionate and appropriate to meet the legal requirements. Changes to the Sustainability Appraisal Update (2017) were recommended by the independent consultants to improve the clarity of this document.
Further information, including details on the subsequent public consultation.
March 2017:
Submission of Local Plan Review (31 March 2017)
The Mid Devon Local Plan Review was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 31 March 2017 for examination. The Secretary of State has appointed Mr Paul Griffiths BSc (Hons) BArch IHBC to conduct the examination and to report to the Council in due course. Submission documents can be viewed by clicking on the link below.
The Inspector will examine the Local Plan Review and all comments received during the public consultation. Part of the process will involve hearing sessions where those invited to attend by the Inspectorate, will have the opportunity to respond to matters raised by the Inspector.
The Local Plan Review Examination page will be regularly updated with the most recent information on the Examination Hearings and Documents. Contact details for the Programme Officer can also be found on this page.
View the Submission Documents Here
Representations
The Council received 739 submissions to the Local Plan review (proposed modifications) consultation which took place between 3rd January and 14th February 2017 .
You can search all representations received by policy, surname, ID number or organisation. These are now available online using the search facility below:
To view a pdf of representations received and listed in policy order please use the link below:
Representations in Policy Order
If you have any queries please contact the Forward Planning Team on 01884 234344.
Future Local Plan e-updates
To keep you up to date in an efficient manner we intend to rely more heavily on e-mails in the future. This will make an important contribution to making the best use of public funds and will also have environmental benefits of reducing paper usage. If you have not provided us with an e-mail address please provide this along with your representation.
What has happened previously?
What has happened before the plan was submitted and responses to consultations on the Local Plan Review can be viewed on the Local Plan Review Consultations History page.