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Local Plan Review Examination

We submitted our Local Plan Review 2013 - 2033 to the Planning Inspectorate on 31 March 2017, for examination into the legal compliance and soundness of the Plan.

The Secretary of State appointed Mr Paul Griffiths BSc (Hons) BArch IHBC to conduct the examination and to report to us in due course.

Following preliminary hearings in September 2018, main hearings took place at Phoenix House, Tiverton on 14, 15, 19 and 20 February 2019.

Updates and further information

For the latest updates and further information on the examination, see the click-to-show menus below:

For a time-line of the updates as the Examination progresses, please see below.

Update (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 can be viewed here.

Update (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.

Update (20 May 2020)

The Council has 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.”

Update (24 March 2020)

The Local Plan examination Inspector has advised the Council that he is currently working his way through the representations and currently feels that there should be no need for any more hearing sessions. The Inspector has indicated that he expects to be able to commence with his report on the Local Plan shortly and provide this to the Council in May. The timetable for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) examination will depend on the Council’s adoption of the Local Plan. Hearings for the CIL examination are expected to be held later this year, subject to Government advice on public gatherings.

Update (28 February 2020)

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.

Update (6 January 2020)

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. 

Update (5 December 2019)

We sent a written request to the Inspector to recommend main modifications to the Mid Devon Local Plan Review, under section 20(7c) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, in order for it to be made sound and legally compliant.

Update (30 September 2019)

The Council has received the following communication from the Inspector on Friday 27th September:

"The Inspector has carefully considered the material contained in ED20, ED21, ED22 and ED23 and has no further questions at this stage. On that basis, the Inspector is content for the Council to publish its draft Main Modifications for consultation as soon as it is ready to do so."

The Council is currently progressing the preparation of draft Main Modifications and will provide a further news update soon about when these will be published for consultation, along with any updates that may be necessary to the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitat Regulations Assessment and other documentation.

Update (12 September 2019)

The Council’s response to comments received from hearing participants on its draft Housing Land Supply Update (June 2019) (ED20) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA) implications report (ED21) were sent to the Inspector on 6th September.

The Council’s response has been added to the Examination Documents list as ED22.

Comments received from hearing participants can be viewed here.

The Inspector is considering the Council’s documents and the comments received on these before deciding how to progress the examination.

Update (15 August 2019)

The Council has reviewed the scope of the comments received from participants at Hearing 1 and the hearing on Policy SP2 - Higher Town, Sampford Peverell, and the contingency site Policy CU21 - Land at Colebrook, Cullompton, in response to the Draft HLS Update June 2019 (ED20) and SA implications report (ED21).

The Inspector has agreed to the Council’s request that the period for the Council to respond to these comments be extended to 6th September. Participants’ comments and the Council’s responses to these comments will be published once these have been considered by the Inspector.

Update (17 July 2019)

The Council has carefully assessed the Inspector’s post hearing advice note (see ID12 – Inspector’s MDLPR Post-Hearings Advice Note). It has prepared a draft Housing Land Supply Update June 2019 that specifically addresses the Inspector’s concerns raised regarding the timescale for delivery of the Cullompton Town Centre Relief Road (TCRR) and the impact of this on the proposed housing trajectory for the Local Plan Review. The Council has also undertaken a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the implications of its proposed draft Main Modifications in relation to the housing trajectory and the remedies suggested by the Inspector in his post hearings advice note. The Inspector has invited all participants at Hearing 1 of the Local Plan examination, where housing land supply was discussed, and those who took part in the hearing on Policy SP2 - Higher Town, Sampford Peverell, and the contingency site Policy CU21 - Land at Colebrook, Cullompton, to comment on the Council’s draft Housing Land Supply Update June 2019 and the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) implications report. The Inspector has also invited the Council to respond to these comments by 16th August. The Inspector will take into consideration all comments that are made and then provide further advice on how the examination will be progressed.

The Council’s draft Housing Land Supply Update June 2019 and Sustainability Appraisal implications report have been added as two additional documents that are available to view on the Examination Documents page:

  • ED20 MDDC – Draft HLS update June 2019
  • ED21 MDDC – SA implications of MDDC proposed draft MMs in the HLS update June 2019

Update (23 May 2019)

The Council has received the Inspector’s Post-Hearings advice note, see ID12 - Inspector's MDLPR Post-Hearings Advice Note. This has been added to the Inspector’s Documents list and notification provided to all participants at the examination hearings.

We are considering the Inspector’s request to provide him with a projected housing trajectory for Years 1-5 and 5-10 incorporating assumptions about the delivery of the Town Centre Relief Road (at Cullompton), demonstrating how a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites will be maintained throughout these periods.

The Inspector has not indicated in his advice note that he is inviting or expecting any comments from participants on the advice that he has provided.

Update (10 May 2019)

It is expected that the Council will receive a post-hearings response from the Inspector by Friday 17th May or soon thereafter, which will be published on this website.

Update (9 April 2019)

We received offer letters from Homes England in relation to the Housing Infrastructure Fund for both the new A361 junction at Tiverton and Cullompton J28/Town Centre Relief Road, which has delayed the Inspector’s expressed timetable for the examination of the Mid Devon Local Plan Review. It's now anticipated that the Inspector will contact us by the end of April about the next steps for the examination.

The letters have been added as two additional documents which are available to view on the Examination Documents page:

  • ED18 Cullompton & Culm Grant Offer Letter
  • ED19 Tiverton EUE Grant Offer Letter

Update (29 March 2019)

Additional documents have been provided by participants following the examination hearings. These are listed below and available to view on the Examination Documents page:

  • ED12  Report on Gypsy and Travellers Pitches (Harcourt Kerr)
  • ED13 MDDC Response to Mr Kerr
  • ED14 Harcourt Kerr response to MDDC statement ED13
  • ED15 DLP Planning - Supplementary Submission in Response to MDDC Rebuttal - March 2019
  • ED16 Persimmon Homes South West (PHSW) additional statement (Inc. Appendix A –K)
  • ED17 MDDC response to Harcourt Kerr ED14, DLP Planning ED15 and PHSW ED16

Update (26 February 2019)

Main hearings for the examination of the Mid Devon Local Plan Review have now concluded. Mr Griffiths, the Planning Inspector, has indicated that he will contact the Council towards the end of March to indicate how he intends to progress the examination further. Information about this will be published on the Council’s website.

Update (22 February 2019)

The main hearings concluded on 20th February 2019. The Inspector will set out the next steps for the examination process in due course.

Various documents were presented to the Inspector during the main hearings. These documents are listed below and can be viewed on the Examination Documents page.

ED09   Public Cabinet Report 31 January 2019 and Appendix (MDDC)

ED10   Connecting the Culm Project Outline (MDDC)

ED11   Nicholas Allan remarks for the Inspector

Update (13 February 2019)

The Council has provided additional documents to the Inspector for consideration during the main hearings (February 2019). These are listed below and available to view in the Examination Library.

SCG9  Statement of Common Ground - East Cullompton Policies CU7 - CU12

SCG10 Statement of Common Ground – Cullompton Policy S11, CU1-CU21

ED07 Inspector's Report - Development Management Policies (LP3) (MDDC)

ED08 Chapel Downs Decision Notice (MDDC)

Update (12 February 2019)

An updated version of the Inspector’s hearing programme has been added to the Inspector’s Documents list and sent to all listed hearing participants:

ID11b - Inspector's draft Hearing Programme v3 

This supersedes Inspector’s Document ID11a (see 9 January 2019 update)

Update (4 February 2019)

Hearing statements from all participants have now been added to the website under the Hearing Statements section.

Update (31 January 2019)

Mid Devon District Council’s hearing statements have been added to the website under the Hearing Statements section.  Hearing statements from all participants will be published in due course.

Update (9 January 2019)

An updated version of the Inspector’s hearing programme has been added to the Inspector’s Documents list and sent to all listed hearing participants:

ID11a - Inspector's draft Hearing Programme v2 

This supersedes Inspector’s Document ID11 (see 17 December 2018 update)

Update (17 December 2018)

The Inspector has notified the council that Main Hearings will take place between 14 and 20 February 2019.  For further information, please see the Examination Hearings Section.

The following documents have been added to the Inspector’s Document List below:

ID09 – Inspector’s Main Hearings Guidance Note

ID10 – Inspector’s Main Hearings ‘Matters and Issues’

ID11 – Inspector’s Main Hearings Programme – Draft List of Participants

Update (29 October 2018)

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 below.

This letter has been added to the Inspector's Documents List below.

You can see updates prior to October 2018 on the following page - Local Plan Review Examination History

The Council received the Inspector’s Report on 26th June 2020.

This marks the end of the examination process for the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033. All further correspondence and communication related to the examination of the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033 should now be sent to Mid Devon District Council at:

Forward Planning

Mid Devon District Council

Phoenix House

Phoenix Lane

Tiverton

EX16 6PP

Email: fplan@middevon.gov.uk

Hearing statements for the Main Hearings scheduled for February 2019 can be viewed below. Hearing statements for the Preliminary Hearings (September 2018).

Main Hearings February 2019

Mid Devon District Council Hearing Statements(Hearing 1 - 5b)

Participants Hearing Statements (listed by hearing):

The Local Plan Review Examination Library consists of two main parts:

  1. The documents submitted to the Inspector by the Council for examination on 31st March 2017 which can be viewed on the Core Documents page.
  2. A number of further documents have been or will be produced by Mid Devon District Council and other examination participants during the course of the examination. These will be added to the 'Examination Documents page' as they are published.

Hearing statements and Inspector’s documents can be found in the relevant sections above.

Mid Devon District Council requested an adjournment of the Local Plan Hearings in September 2017. This adjournment provided the opportunity for the Council to commission an independent report by consultants LUC to review the Sustainability Appraisal of proposed modifications made to Mid Devon Local Plan Review.

Public consultation on the findings of the independent review and proposed amendments to the Sustainability Appraisal took place between 28th February and 11th April 2018. The proposed amendments add greater clarity to the Sustainability Appraisal and do not amend the content of the Mid Devon Local Plan Review (incorporating proposed modifications) that has already been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.

The findings of the Independent Review of the Sustainability Appraisal Update 2017, associated documents and representations received in the period 28th February to 11th April 2018 were submitted to the Inspector in April 2018.

The consultation documents, thirty-two representations received during the consultation period and three late representations also received can be viewed below.

You can search all representations received during the consultation period held on the Schedule of amendments made to the SA Update 2017 by surname, ID number or organisation. For a list of ID numbers please use the following link:

Three late representations were also received which can be viewed below:

  1. Lowman Manufacturing c-o J & K Property
  2. Robert Bond
  3. Cullompton Town Council

SA Update consultation documents :

A summary of the main comments received and the Council's responses to these comments can be viewed here:

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