Local Plan Update submission and examination

When was the Local Plan Update submitted?

The Local Plan Update was submitted on 31 March 2023. It was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate who will examine the documents in line with national planning policy. The Planning Inspectorate has appointed a planning inspector to hold an examination in public.

When will the Local Plan Update be examined?

The timetable for the examination in public of the Local Plan Update is set by the Planning Inspectorate. The appointed Planning Inspector will review the submitted documents and determine whether it should proceed to examination or whether more information is required.

The Inspector will likely identify a number of matters and issues to consider as part of the examination and invite the council and interested parties to provide written responses. Following this, a series of hearing sessions are likely to be conducted where the Inspector will lead a discussion on the various matters and issues identified, inviting interested parties to participate and have their say.

Details on matters, issues and hearing sessions will be provided on the programme officer's website as and when they become available.

Examination website (external)

What will be considered during the examination?

The Inspector will consider three main elements:

• Whether the Local Plan Update is sound – the inspector will consider if the plan has been positively prepared, is justified, effective and consistent with national policy
• Whether the council has met the duty to cooperate – that is, has the plan been prepared in cooperation with other local authorities and prescribed bodies, such as the Environment Agency, to address strategic and cross-boundary issues; and 
• Whether the Local Plan Update is legally compliant – the inspector will examine whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements. This includes consideration of the government’s national planning policy and of the council’s Local Development Scheme, Statement of Community Involvement and Sustainability Appraisal.

In reaching a decision on each matter, the Inspector will have regard to the submitted documents and the representations submitted by individuals and organisations.Please see the programme officer's examination website for more details. 

Examination website (external)

What documents were submitted for examination?

A number of documents were submitted by the council for examination. The submission document library below includes the Local Plan Update documents, including printable policies maps for individual settlements, the Sustainability Appraisal (including, site assessments), recent evidence base and background documents. The file below details all the documents in the library and these can be accessed via the table below

Local Plan Update submission library (pdf 135kb opens in new window)

You can use the search box below to find a specific document using the document library reference or keyword. 

Maps and site assessments - To find the policies map for a settlement or site assessment, simply type the name of the settlement (e.g. "Bridlington") into the search box. A key to the policies map is provided below. Alternatively, an online map is also available (external website). 

Policies Map key/legend (pdf 410kb opens in new window)

Are any changes or modifications being proposed by the council?

The council has identified some changes it wishes to be considered as part of the examination process. These are set out in a document tilted 'S-LP04 Proposed Changes to Local Plan Update' which is available to view in the submission library. These changes, together with any others identified through the examination process, may form 'main modifications'. Any main modifications identified will be subject to further public consultation. 

Who do I contact for more information about the examination?

An independent programme officer has been put in place to help with the administration of the examination. They report directly to the Inspector and all correspondence, including that from the council, must go through the programme officer. The appointed programme officer is Mr Ian Kemp. A separate page, managed by the programme officer, has been set up and will provide information on the examination process when details are confirmed. 

Examination website (external)

Can I see the responses to the last consultation?

Yes. The representations made to the Proposed Submission version of the Local Plan Update can be viewed in the table below. These have all been made available to the Planning Inspector. If you wish to search for specific comments on particular topics, sites, settlements or policy areas then you can use the spreadsheet below to filter the records and identify the representations of interest. The spreadsheet contains links that allow you to open the responses directly. Please note that this file saved in Microsoft Excel format (.xlsx). 

Database of representations to the proposed submission documents (xlsx 186kb opens in new window)