Hart Local Plan 2044 Engagement Strategy - Engagement during examination and adoption

After the third consultation stage, the ‘proposed Local Plan’ (potentially with some changes made in light of the consultation) will be submitted for independent examination by a Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. Planning Regulations set out the process for notification at these stages as summarised below. 

Submission

Once the Council has submitted the Local Plan and supporting documents to the Secretary of State for independent examination, the Council is required to:

• publish the Proposed Local Plan submission documents on the Council’s website and for public inspection, alongside a statement confirming the date that the Local Plan was submitted
• as a minimum notify those who have requested to be notified that the Local Plan has been submitted for examination and where the documents can be viewed

Examination

Once an Inspector is appointed to undertake the Local Plan examination, the Council is required to:

• qt least six weeks before the examination public hearings start, publish details of the venue, date and timings on the Council’s website, along with the name of the examiner
• notify those who requested to be notified at this stage of those details as well as any other persons considered appropriate which is likely to be those who made representations on the Proposed Local Plan

The Inspector may invite those who have made representations on the Plan to participate in the public Hearing sessions. 

The Inspector may recommend a series of modifications to the Plan that are considered necessary to make the Plan sound. These will be published for comments before the Inspector writes a final report. 

Adoption

Following the Examination, the Inspector will issue a report recommending whether the Plan can be formally adopted. This usually involves incorporating modifications to the Plan which the Inspector considers necessary.  Once the Inspector’s report is received the Council is required to:

• publish the Inspector’s Report on the Council’s website
• notify those who requested to be notified at this stage of the receipt of the Inspector’s Report and publish a copy on the Council’s website and other locations as considered appropriate
• publish the adopted Local Plan and adoption statement on the Council’s website and make them available for public inspection

The Council may also publicise the details of the submission, examination and adoption of the Plan more widely through, for example, online press releases, social media and direct emails.