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Local Plan review (2021-2040) examination

Latest Examination News (October 2024)

The final round of Local Plan examination hearings, regarding Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations and Policies took place in early-September 2024.

Following the hearings, a series of actions were agreed between the Planning Inspectors and Borough Council [G43]. These outstanding matters have now been addressed and the Council is now commencing consultation on the Schedule of Main Modifications Part 2 (Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations and Policies).

All other documents relating to the ongoing Local Plan examination are available to view through the Examination Library.

What is the Schedule of Main Modifications Part 2?

The Schedule of Main Modifications Part 2 (SMM) is the final stage in preparing the Local Plan. It follows the recent consultation on wider proposed Main Modifications Part 1 for the Local Plan (7 August – 2 October 2024, inclusive).

Following the Local Plan examination hearing for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in September, the SMM Part 2 puts forward proposed changes to the aspects of Policy LP28 Affordable Housing which relate to Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show People in the Local Plan as submitted in March 2022. These have been recommended by the Inspectors as being required to make the plan ‘sound’. The changes are proposed to address the Inspectors’ Initial Findings and changes agreed during the hearing sessions themselves, including some of those proposed in the Borough Council’s hearing statements and Statements of Common Ground.

What is being consulted on

  1. Schedule of Main Modifications Part 2 to the Local Plan (Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople policies) and
  2. Schedule of Policy Map Modifications (as a result of the above)

The Main Modifications Part 1 is supported by the following evidence base:

  1. Sustainability Appraisal update (Capita, October 2024)
  2. Habitat Regulations Assessment (Capita, October 2024)
  3. Site Assessment for Proposed Site GT15 (Actions 147 and 148)

The Schedule of Policy Map Modifications has implications for the Policies Map. Several sheet maps are being updated accordingly - the versions (showing proposed Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople site allocations) are available to view on our Main Modifications to Policies Map sheets page.

Further explanation regarding the consultation and the ongoing Local Plan examination process is available through our FAQ document.

Other documents of particular relevance to the SMM consultation are available to download, below.

This consultation is limited to comments on the Schedule of Main Modifications Part 2 only. The consultation does not offer the opportunity to repeat or raise further representations about other parts of the Plan, or seek wider changes, which are not relevant to the Main Modifications being consolidated on. Comments made during the previous public consultations on the draft Local Plan and during the Examination process are in front of the Inspectors and will be considered by them in their final report to the Council. 

“When” and “How” to make Representations to the Schedule of Main Modifications?

This consultation opens on Thursday 17 October and runs until 11:59pm on Friday 29 November 2024 (inclusive).

You can access the consultation portal and submit your response below. Each proposed Main Modification has its own reference in the SMM (e.g. MM377). When making a representation, each MM reference should be clearly specified.

Our preference is for you to use the portal, as this will allow us to process your response promptly and efficiently. Please note that the consultation form (portal) contains copies of the full suite of documents, including policies map extracts.

Main Modifications Part 2 consultation form

Any comments relating to the SMM Part 2 should be made using this consultation portal. If you are unable to use the online portal to submit your comments, you may still submit comments using the downloadable PDF or Word documents below.

The Main Modifications consultations are the penultimate stage(s) in the Local Plan process, before publication of the Inspectors’ report. The Part 2 consultation relates to Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations and Policies.  Other Main Modifications were subject to a separate consultation, which finished on 2 October.

Where minor (e.g. factual/ grammatical corrections or updates) or Additional Modifications (as set out in the Additional Modifications schedule), or presentational issues are identified regarding the Policies Map (e.g. cartography), the consultation also provides an opportunity to highlight these and allow for corrections or amendments to be made.

You can scan and email completed forms to lpr@west-norfolk.gov.uk or post them to:

Local Plan 2021-2040 Main Modifications Part 1 Consultation
Planning Policy Team
Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
Kings Court
Chapel Street
King’s Lynn
PE30 1EX

Representations must be received by 11:59pm on Friday, 29 November 2024.

Following the close of the consultation, we will forward all duly-made representations onto the Planning Inspectors.

Summary information about the progress of the Examination will be posted on the latest examination news page.

Main Modifications Part 1 consultation (August - October 2024)

The Main Modifications Part 1 consultation ran for 8 weeks, from 7 August – 2 October 2024 (inclusive). Consultation materials are available to view below.

  1. Schedule of Main Modifications Part 1 (July 2024)
    1. Appendix 1 – Part 1 Inset Map changes (sections 1-9)
    2. Appendix 2 – Part 1 Inset Map changes (section 10-12)
    3. Appendix 3 – Part 1 Inset Map changes (section 12-13)
    4. Appendix 4 – Part 1 Inset Map changes (section 14)
    5. Appendix 5 – Part 1 Inset Map changes (section 15)
  2. Schedule of Main Modifications to the Policies Map (July 2024)
    1. Submission version of the Policies Map is available to view
    2. Policies Map (incorporating Main Modifications) is available to view on the consultation portal
  3. Schedule of Additional Modifications (July 2024)

The Main Modifications Part 1 is supported by the following evidence base:

  1. Sustainability Appraisal update (JBA, June 2024)
  2. Habitat Regulations Assessment (Footprint Ecology, July 2024)
    1. HRA Appendix 3 Addendum
  3. Housing Trajectory update April 2024

Examination Hearings

The Examination Hearing sessions for all matters and issues have been completed the last round of hearings, regarding Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, having taken place in early-September 2024.

Examination Library

Examination documents are available through the Examination Library index.

As the Local Plan examination progresses, other examination documents will be added to the relevant page(s), as necessary.

Other information regarding the Local Plan Review is available on our Local Plan Review (2016 to 2036) page.

Planning Inspectors

Planning Inspectors Karen Baker DipTP MA DipMP MRTPI and Mike Hayden BSc DipTP MRTPI have been appointed by the Secretary of State, to conduct the independent Examination of the Local Plan Review. The Inspectors' task is to consider whether the Council has complied with the legal requirements in preparing the Local Plan Review and whether the submitted Plan is sound, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 (the Framework).

The Inspectors will take into account the representations made in response to the Regulation 19 consultation on the Plan (August September 2021), as far as they relate to soundness and legal compliance considerations. It is likely that a Hearing will take place to discuss the principal matters of soundness identified by the Inspectors, in the form of a series of informal round table discussions. Further details of any Hearing sessions will be notified and added to the website in due course.

At the end of the Examination, the Inspectors will prepare a report to the Council with precise recommendations. It is likely to include main modifications to the Plan to make it sound or legally compliant.

Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Annette Feeney, will act as the contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and as a liaison between the Inspectors, Council and Representors.

She is an independent Officer of the Examination and works on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the Examination process. All examination documents will also be submitted through the Programme Officer.

Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspectors should be submitted via the Programme Officer.

Contact details

Annette Feeney
Programme Officer c/o
Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
King’s Court Chapel Street
King’s Lynn
PE30 1EX
Mobile: 07775 771026
Email: annette.feeney@west-norfolk.gov.uk

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