West Berkshire responds to Secretary of State's intervention on Local Plan
West Berkshire Council has responded to an intervention from the Secretary of State which blocked withdrawal of the Local Plan Review.
Last month the WBC had published a proposal to withdraw the Local Plan ahead of it going to Examination In Public. Before councillors could vote, the Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Building Safety, Lee Rowley MP wrote to the Council instructing that the examination continues as planned.
A letter (pdf opens in new window)has now been sent to Mr Rowley expressing the WBC’s disappointment at the government's intervention and expanding on the extraordinary circumstances that led to the proposal to withdraw the plan. It expresses dissatisfaction at the reasons given for why the government has intervened and sets out the extraordinary circumstances that should be taken into account.
The letter argues that the local plan review does not reflect the wishes of the local community and that the decision should be one for the Council at a local level, especially in the context of the change in political leadership of the Council in May 2023 when the new Liberal Democrat administration was given a clear mandate to review the plan and the sites within it.
In accordance with the directions given in the letter, councillors and officers from the planning department will continue with preparations for the public examination later this year.
Once a Local Plan Review is submitted, the Secretary of State appoints an Inspector to carry out an independent examination. The Inspector was appointed in May 2023, who then in the light of the change of Administration, allowed the West Berkshire Council six months to review its position regarding the submitted draft Plan.
This examination later this year will assess whether the submitted plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements.
Explaining about the Local Plan Review inspection process, national guidance states:
The dates of the examination in public are in the process of being agreed with the appointed Inspector and regular updates and associated documents can be found on the Local Plan Examination Services website.
Following the Examination in Public, West Berkshire Council must consider the inspector's comments and consider adopting the plan. The adopted Local Plan Review becomes the overarching set of planning polices for the district.
Date: 16 January 2024