Chichester Local Plan examination hearings begin

The Chichester Local Plan 2021-2039 was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration in May of this year. It is now being independently examined by two appointed Planning Inspectors alongside a range of supporting documents and a list of suggested modifications that aim to address consultation feedback.

The hearings, which are organised and chaired by the Inspectors, offer an opportunity for invited participants to provide evidence for the Inspectors to consider as part of the examination.

This stage of the examination process follows an initial assessment by the Inspectors, leading them to identify a range of 'Matters, Issues and Questions', which will inform the discussion of the hearings. In advance of the hearings, the council and relevant stakeholders have provided statements in response to 268 questions relating to six key matters.

Cllr Bill Brisbane, Cabinet Member for Planning at Chichester District Council, says:  "These hearings are a key part of the examination process, which will assess whether the plan has met the legal requirements; whether it has been positively prepared and is justified, effective and consistent with national policy; and if the council has engaged and worked effectively with neighbouring authorities and statutory bodies. As part of this, the Inspectors will not only review the plan itself, but also the evidence on which it is based, along with the comments submitted during the most recent public consultation.

"After all of the hearing sessions have taken place, the Inspectors will consider the evidence submitted, both before and during the hearings. They will then advise the council on the next steps in the examination process, which will ultimately lead to them writing a report of their findings."

The hearings will take place at the council offices in East Pallant House, Chichester. Only those that have been invited to participate — including those who submitted comments as part of the public consultation in 2023 and have since confirmed their attendance — will be able to speak at the hearings. However, the sessions are open for members of the public to observe.

As there is limited public seating at the venue, people that wish to observe the hearings are encouraged to watch them through the council's live online streaming service. If people are interested in watching the hearings but are unable to follow them live, they will also have the option of watching recordings of the sessions after they have taken place.

Each hearing will focus on different topics or issues, with the first hearing taking place at 9.30am on Tuesday 1 October. Links to livestreams and recordings of all of the sessions, along with the full hearing timetable, can be found on the council's Local Plan hearings page.

The Local Plan identifies housing requirements, development areas for economic growth and locations for new homes in the Chichester plan area over the next 15 years. The Local Plan also has a raft of policies relating to climate change and the natural environment. There is a separate plan for areas located in the National Park and this is produced by the South Downs National Park Authority.

People can find more information about the Chichester Local Plan, including the council's Statement of Consultation — which summarises the work that has been done to prepare the plan to this point — on the council's 'local plan examination' page

Also on these pages, people can find a timetable that sets out the likely timescales relating to the plan.

For more information about the local plan examination process, the government has also created a guide with information on the key stages. This can be found on the government's local plan examination page (opens new window)

Date of release: 23 September 2024

Reference: 4368